■•il*^    •   J. 


u i}'£I C) i A ij.  ixh rum 


EEL  ATI  \ 


■ME  CONDU'eT  UF  rLi;i:.iUL   i auuio, 


WESTERN  LOUISA 


/*  i>  t' 


1 


;iONS  OF  18€3  AND  18G4. 


OMPIIED  f 


■RN  TESTi!\«ONY, 


r.  DTaiidTin^  or 


aoV>iAij:^vil  HENRY  W.  ALLI2N. 


.silRl^VE?ORT,  La,: 

;?S  PRIiNTIXO   a«TAt.LlSHME\T— JOHN    DfCKINSON,    PROrtlBTOR, 


4 


THE 

WILLIAM  R.  PERKINS 

LIBRARY 

OF 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY 


Rare  Books 


1^ 


/^'L      >^ 


OFFICIAL  REFOKT 

TOfrHE  CONDUCT  OF  FEDERAL  TROOPS 

\  WESTERN  LOUISIANA. 


DUEING-THB 


NVASIONS  OF  1863  AND  1864. 


COMPILED  FROM  SWORN  TESTIMONY, 


UNPER  DIRECTION  OF 


GOVBRNOIl  HKNRY  W.  ALLEN.    c.d.  ^<  ^  - 


\^t-i  ^-^ 


v~ 


.^  a-  y^^  /-,  e. 


/^      ^   /^       «B"iE?EPOBT,  APRIL  rtes,    .^   ^  ^ 


/ 


fi    SBYEPOET,  U.: 

IW«  FEINTING   BATABblSHMENT — JOH¥   DICKINSOIf,  fpOPWSTOK. 


-■V      J^ 


'€ 


,■7 


EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  SaRETBPORT,  La.,  March  SO,  IMS. 
In  Jan«  I  appointed  commissioners  to  eather  and  collect  testimony  concerning 
tbe  conduct  of  the  enemy  diiriug  their  brief  and  inglorious  occupancy  of  a  part  of 
West  LouiBiana.     I  addressed  to  each  of  them  the  following  letter: 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE,  Sfreveport,  La..  June  20, 1864. 

Sra — I  desire  to  obtain  for  publication  and  historical  record  a  careful,  accu- 
rate, authentic  slatement  of  the  atrocities  and  barbarities  committed  by  the  Fed- 
eral ofiBcers,  troops  and  camp  followers  during  their  late  invasion  of  Western 
Louisiana. 

Confiding  in  your  k^own  industry,  ynur  love  of  truth,  and  your  judgment  in 
discriminating  betweev  \\^'^'^  is  important  and  what  is  not,  I  appoint  you  an  a^ent 
and  commissioner  for  the<^*urpose  aboth  set  forth.  I  wish  you  to  spare  no  pains  in 
getting  stat«jments  in  writing  from  eye-witnesses  and  sufferers,  signed  and  sworn 
to.  Hearsay  reports  should  be  carefully  sifted  before  being  received  and  incor- 
porated in  yi:ur  statement. 

It  will  be  borne  in  mind  by  you  that  the  testimony  thus  taken  will  be  tZ 
paWe.ihe  accused  not  having  the  privilege  of  introducing  evidence  to  explain, 
niiiiga'e  or  rebut  what  will  be  piiblished  against  them  ;  hence  it  is  important  that 
thepnbiicalion  when  made  stiould  contain  intrinsic  evidenceof  its  own  credibility. 
It  may  be  well  therefore  to  introduce  such  details  as  will  corroborate  the  general 
statements  of  your  leport.  If  you  hear  of  any  special  acts  of  kiadness  that  may 
have  been  done  to  "ur  ciiizens  by  Federal  officers  or  soldiers,  please  report  them, 
with  the  names,  rank.  &c.,  of  tho^e  who  acted  thus  creditably.  I  hope,  for  tha 
honor  of  human  nature,  that  s  me  such  instances  may  be  reported  by  you. 

When  your  report  is  completed,  forward  it  to  this  office  with  the  affidavits  en 
which  it  is  founded,  together  with  an  account  of  your  necessary  and  reasonabla 
expenses  while  actually  employed  under  this  order,  which  will  be  repaid  to  yon 
in  addition  to  an  equitable  compensation  for  your  services. 

Commissioners  will  be  appointed  for  other  invaded  parishes,  with  whoa  yo« 
may  do  well  to  communicate. 

Very  respectfully, 

your  obedient  servant, 

HENRY  W.  ALLEN, 

Governor  of  Lou'siacft. 

Hon.  T.  C.  Manning,  of  Rnpides;  Gen.  John  G.  Pratt  and  Col,  John  E.  King,  of 
St.  Landry;  Hon.  J.  W.  Butler  and  Col.  Phanor  Prudhomme,  of  Natchitoches; 
Hon.  E.  North  Cullum  and  E.  de  Generes,  Esq.,  of  Avoyelles,  were  appointed  for 
their  respective  parishes.  Only  the  commissioners  for  Rapides  and  St.  Landry 
have  sent  in  their  reports.  Should  the  others  be  received  before  the  printing  of  tha 
reports  of  Messrs.  Manning,  Pratt  and  King  is  completed,  tl^ey  will  be  added  :  o*k»t- 
viM  they  will  be  iesited  in  a  supplement. 


i  &ar«  theaf  ht  proper  thas  io  cbtato  »  rerlfied  ■tsttmeat  ot  th«  «ettn»KeM 
which  guvti  to  the  late  invasion  an  atrocious,  sttvagft  and  most  «»xecrablc  character, 
while  >hey  were  f-till  fresh  in  the  recollection  of  our  people.  I  do  not  expect  that 
this  statement  will  be  seen  by  many  of  our  enemie-<,  or  thit  it  will  arouse  them  to 
•  sense  of  the  disgrace  which  impartial  history  will  at'aih  to  them  ;  nor  cm  I  ex- 
pect that  it  will  awaken  much  interest  wijh  the  fevv  strangers  into  whose  hands  it 
may  ctiance  to  fall.  Bat  I  hope  the  publication  of  a  few  hundred  copies  of  this 
report  will  preserve  for  the  future  historiail  ndany  tacts  which  might  otherwise  be 
forj^otteri. 

The  commissioners  hare  performed  their  ta?k  with  praiseworthy  fidelity  and 
with  great  ability.  Within  the  limits  of  the  ^Mte  their  high  ch;iracter  and  persooal 
m  Tit  command  implicit  (jonfllence  aind  belief;  bit  they  have  done  their  duty  so 
well  that  their  reports  Will  stand  se^cdre  on  ih/ir  own  ''  Srnal  evidence  Ja  the 
DJui'I  of  every  di<crirainating  arid  €fdlig!i:enod  foreigner,'.vh'le  t"ie  seholar  will  b» 
pleased  with  the  accuracy,  dignity  and  cl|M3ic  elegance  of  the  language  and  styl* 
li.  wlueh  tbey  Are  eompiled. 

Jimmi  W.  ALLEN, 

ilo7«rB»;  of  LoaUfiMk- 


EfiPOBT  OF  MESSRS.  PRATT  AND  KiM. 


^0  His  Excellency,  Henry  W.  Allen,  Governor  6f  tli0 
State  of  Louisiana : 

giR — Appointed  in  June  last  by  your  Excellency,  Commissioners, 
to  make  a  full,  accurate  and  authentic  report  of  the  barbarities  and 
Atr.icifies  committed  by  the  ofllicere,  troops  and  camp-followera  of  the 
Federal  army,  during  its  several  invasions  of  South-western  Louisiana. 
We,  soon  aftvr  the  reception  of  the  commission,  proceeded  carefully  and 
industriously  to  collect  the  necessary  materials.  How  far  we  have  sue- 
deeded  will  best  appear  from  the  body  of  our  report.  The  objects  had 
in  view  by  your  Excellency,  we  thouj^ht,  would  be  beat  accomplished, 
by  giving  such  statistical,  geographical,  and  local  information,  as  might 
be  necessary  to  understand  fully  the  details.  If  many  of  the  fact* 
Enumerated  in  these  pages  seem  incn^dulous,  from  their  ofiensiveness 
to  the  moral  sense  of  mankind,  they  will  be  found  to  be  supported  by 
an  array  of  distingvlished  itames  among  the  eye-witnesses  and  the  auf- 
'ferers,  by  the  personal  obBervation  of  your  Commisaioners,  and  by  ua- 
disputed  notoriety. 

The  district  within  which  onr  investigations  have  been  made,  extends 
from  the  southern  boundaries  of  Rapides  and  Avoyelles  to  Berwick'* 
"Bay,  and  includes  the  Parishes  of  St.  Landry,  Lafayette,  St.  Martia 
and  St.  Mary.  Few  countries  were  more  highly  favored  ty  nature, 
*nd  embellished  by  arti  than  the  belt  of  land  lying  on  either  side  of 
the  water-courses  of  this  fertile  region,  and  which,  in  St.  Landry  and 
lafftjette,  spreads  out  in  high  prairies,  intersected  by  woods.  The 
productive  itoil  and  genial  climate  here  favor  the  growth  of  the  f;uit5 
of  tropical  and  temperate  regions ;  and  to  these  natural  advantages  had 
been  added  the  labor  of  art  and  industry,  in  the  development  of  its 
resourceB.  The  great  staples  of  the  country  were  profitably  cnitirated 
on  the  opulent  soil  of  this  belt.  While  there  were  no  cotton  plantations 
of  any  great  magnitude,  innumerable  small  ones  produced  an  annual 
aggregate  crop  of  about  thirty-eight  thousand  bales.  Some  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-eight  sugar  estates,  many  of  them  employing  expen- 
sive machinery,  and  using  all  the  modern  improvements,  yielded  annu- 
ally, for  export,  about  forty  thousand  hogsheads  of  sugar,  and  sixty 
thousand  barrels  of  molasses,  besides  what  the  villages  and  people  of 
the  country  consumed.  Added  to  these  products  of  the  soil,  there  were 
annually  driven  to  the  plantations  on  the  coast  and  to  New  Orleans, 
•omei  thirty  thousand  bead  of  cattle,  taken  from  the  numerous  herds 
which  range,  summer  and  winter,  on  the  luxuriant  prairies  and  the  wild 
sanc^Uads  of  the  adjacent  swamps.  Th«  total  value  of  these  prodacta 
aiao«nt«d  ta  about  fire  railliou  dollars,  w^k  id  ao  aj^jpre^ate  popvlft- 


tioia  ot  eizty-tive  thousand  one  hundred  and  ceventeen,  (sne  Anditor't 
report  for  1858,)  of  which  population,  thirty-fiv«  thousand  seven  hun- 
^iied  and  thirty-seven  were  slaves,  gave  more  than  four  hundred  dollars 
in  value,  of  surplus  exportable  products,  for  each  family  of  five  per' 
sons — a  result  which  is  seldom  obtained  in  any  agricukural  district  of 
the  same  area  and  population. 

These  parishes,  including  Vermilion  and  Cahasieu,  fo'raed  the  an- 
cient counties  of  Opelousas  and  Attakapas,  which,  in  1810,  had  an  ag- 
gregate population  of  12,417,  of  which  4,802  were  slaves.  The  same 
district  had.  in  1858,  an  aggregata  population  of  73i,36S,  of  which  37,- 
737  were  slaves.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  this  unexampled  increase 
of  population,  which,  in  every  decade  has  more  than  doubled  its  num- 
ber, and  maintained  almost  an  equilibrium  between  the  races,  is  duo 
less  to  accretion  from  abroad,  than  to  the  patriarchal  habits  of  the  peo- 
ple and  a  salnbrioas  climate.  Absenteeism  has  never  been  the  vice  oif 
this  country  :  like  the  anci-nt  patriarch,  the  proprietor  has  always  lived 
in  the  midst  of  his  family,  his  servants  and  his  flocks,  content  to  fulfill 
the  simple  duties  imposed  upon  hmi  by  his  condition. 

Before  this  fair  land  had  been  wasted,  and  the  labor  of  years  destroy- 
ed, the  planter's  spacious  mansion  was  sufrouud;>d  by  fluids  of  waving 
corn  and  cane,  and  overlooked  broad  prairies  animated  with  flocks  and 
herd«,  and  checkered  with  farms  of  cotton,  whose  trim  ard  careful  cul- 
ture recalled  the  husbandry  of  the  patient  Hollander.  Around  the  plant- 
ers'dweUings  were  seen  the  numerous  out-bnildings  used  for  agricultu- 
ral purposes,  and  the  negro  cottages,  always  enlivened  by  groups  of 
happy  childien.  When  the  labors  of  the  day  were  over,  the  scene  was 
ev^r  animated  by  the  loud  laugh,  the  rude  sports,  and  the  merry  faces, 
indicating  the  happiness  of  the  returning  laborers.  In  the  midst  of 
tJiese  evidences  of  contentment,  the  planter  enjoyed  a  more  elevated 
pleasure,  iu  communion  with  his  family,  in  literary  pursuits,  or  in  the 
entertainment  of  his  i'riends, — his  highest  social  enjoyment  consisting 
in  administering  the  rite  of  hospitality  under  his  roof.  The  master 
and  the  slave  were  alike  happy,  in  their  lespective  vocations.  Such  a 
condition  natural. y  suggests  the  reflection,  that  the  system  which  has 
produced  them  coi\ld  only  be  in  harmony  with  the  wise  designs  of  a 
beneficent  Providence.  _    . 

The  insulated  district  v,-e  have  described,  enclosed  within  a  narrow 
territory,  and  separated  from  the  parishes  bordering  the  Mississippi,  by 
an  intricate  net- work  of  bayous  and  lakes,  presents,  it  would  seem,  no 
grand  route  for  the  passage  of  armies,  and  no  strategic  point  for  their 
concentration  ;  and  it  might  reasonably  have  been  anticipated,  that  it 
would  have  escaped  the  ordinary  havoc  of  war,  if  conducted  on  princi- 
ples recognized  by  the  civilize  :  worlds  Had  the  poverty  of  this  dis- 
trict been  as  a-  parent  as  its  isolation,  it  fannot  be  doubted  tha,t  it  wou|[d 
have  remained  free  from  invasion.  But  unhappily,  we  are  engaged  ia 
war  with  an  enemy  who  recognizes  only  such  principles  of  warfare  aus 
tmt  bis  capriGfii  his  couvenience,  or  the  gratification  of  his  rindictiro 


'Vafee  ;  who  does  not  scruple  to  recruit  his  soldiers  from  the  felons  of  peu- 
^llentiaries  and  prisons;  who  appoints  Generals  often  without  conduct, 
''without  honor,  and  without  hunaanity  ;  who  wages  war  upon  our  hos- 
"pitals,  on  peaceful  citizens,  and  on  women  and  children  ;  Avho  riots  in 
tobbery  and  pillage,  in  devastation  and  destruction;  and  who  sympa- 
thizes with  the  demoniacal  joy  exhibited  by  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith,  at  Alex- 
andria, where,  surrounded  by  the  flames  of  a  peaceful  village,  in  the 
midst  of  falling  timbers,  crumbling  walls,  and  flying  women  and  chil- 
dren, he  waved  his  sword  in  an  exultation  inspired  by  so  congenial  a 
Rcene,  exclaiming — "This,  boys,  is  something  like  war  !"     That  such 
16  the  character  of  the  warfare  of  the  enemy,  the  history  of  the  several 
invasions  of  Attakapas  and  Opelousas  will  abundantly  show. 

In  the  spring  of  1863,  Gen.  Banks,  suddenly  abandoning  the  siege 
of  Port  Hudson,  threw  his  army  across  the  Mississippi  river,  and  march- 
"ed  through  the  parishes  watered  by  the  Lafourche  to  Berwick's  Bay, 
which  is  an  enlargement  of  the  Atchafalaya  river  near  its  mouth.     The 
'Bay  was  then  in  possession  of  the  enemy's  gunboats,  which  had  free 
communication  with  the   waters  stretching  along  tha   parishei  of  St. 
Mary  and   St.  Martin.     Crossing  the  Bay,  and  marching  a  few  miles 
above  the  junction  of  the  Teche  with  thu  Atchafalaya,  his  army,  num- 
bering about  twenty  thousand  men,  of  all  arms,  found  itself  confronted 
I' r  the  Confederate  forces,  numbering  about  thirty-five  hundred  men, 
*®ider  Gen.  Taylor.     The  la  ter  occupied  a  slightly  intreuchf-d  position 
across  the  peninsula  through  which  the  Teche  flows,  in  the  lower  part 
'of  St.  Mary.     Repulsed  before  this  position.  Gen.  Banks  sent  a  column 
"'W  transports  to  operate  in  Gen,  Taylor's  rear.     Finding  it  impossible 
'with  his  small  force,  to  keep  open  his  communicatioRS,  Gen.  Taylor 
concluded,  reluctantly,  to  evacuate  the  country.     Holding  in  check  the 
column  which  numbered  more  than  his  whole  force,  ani  which  had  ef- 
■  fected  a  landing  some  fifteen  miles  above  his  position,  with  a  small  force 
and  several  detached  sections  of  artillery,  the  Confederate  General  ef- 
fected his  retreat  along  a  line  of  r'-ad  which  ran  within  cannon,  shot  of 
"'the  Federal  column,  without  the  loss  of  any  of  his  material.     From 
"'this  time  the  advancing  columns  of  the  enemy  met  with  no  obstacles  to 
'''impede  their  progress,  except  occasional  skirmishing  with  his  advanced 
'"guard,  until  they  reached  the  Bayou  Vermilion.     While  the  enemy  was 
,''.^ffecting  the  crossing  of  this  bayou,  defended  by  less  than  five  hundred 
'Cbnfederate  troops — (magnified  by  the  apprehensions  of  the  enejr.y  iii- 
' '.to  the  dimensions  of  an  army,) — Gen.  Baulks  was   writing,   from  > he 
'  Cbte  Gelee,  his  first  official  dispatch,  in  which  he  as-serts,  with  tlie  char- 
"acteristic  mendacity  of  Federal  war  bulletins,  that  his  array  had  fought 
[Tialf  a  doizen  pitched  batUet  between  Berwick's  Bay  and  the  .Y^r- 
''^iDilion. 

Gen.  Taylor  having  skilfully  conducted  his  army  beyond  the  inde- 

"fdnsible  boundary,  the-beautiful  and  wealthy  district  of  Opehusas  and 

'  Attakapas  was  left  an  open  prey  to  the  ravages  of  the  enemy.  •  Meet- 

Isff^witD  no  opposition,  the  projpreM  of  bi9  colam&a  wo*  vask^d^py 


BcenfB  of  spoliation  aud  devastation  unparalleled  in  civilized  warfare. 
His  advanced  gnard  maintained  some  dt-gree  of  order,  as  it  penetrated 
into  the  country  ;  but  it  was  followed  by  a  confused  mob  if  officers  and 
men,  horse  and  loot,  ppre;td  out  in  every  direction,  plundering  and  de- 
stroying whatever  came  wiihin  their  reach.     While  some  were  attack- 
ing  with  Bword  and  bayonet  the  domestic  animals,  and  shooting  into 
the  poultry  yards,  others  penetrated  to  the  negro  quarters,  and  endeav- 
ored, with  inquisitorial  ingenuit}',  to  extract  from  the  slaves  the  sepret 
of  the  buried  treasures  of  their  masters,  or  to  excite  them  to  revolt. 
From  the  many  statements    of    eye-witnesses    to  these    scenes  of 
plunder  and  pillage,  we  select  the   description  of  a   venerable  and  ac- 
complished lady,  living  by  the  way-side.     "  I  was"  she  says  "  watch- 
"  ingfrom  my  window,  the  apparent  orderly  march  of  the  first  Yankees 
"  that  appeared  in  view  and  passed  up  the   road,  when,  suddenly,    as  if 
"by  magic,  the  whole  plantation  was   covered  with  men,  like  beesfrom 
"an  overthrown  hive;  and,  as  far  as  my  vision  extended,  an   inestri- 
"  cable  medley  of  men  and  animals  met  my  eye.     Ip  one  place,  excited 
"  troopers  were  firing  into  the  flock  of  sheep ;  in  another,  officers  and 
"men   were  in  pursuit  of  the   boys' ponies ;  and  in  another,  a   crowd 
"  were  in  excited  chase  of  the  work  animals.     The  kitchen  was  soon 
"filled  with  some,  carrying  off  the  cooking  utensils  and  the  provisions 
''of  the  day;  the  yard  with  others,  pursuing  poultry,  aud  firing  their 
"  revolvers  into  the  trees.     They  penetrated  under  the  house,  into  tl 
•*  out-bitildings,  and  went  into  the  garden,  stripping  it  in  a  moment  >jf 
"all  its  vegetables,  and  trenchirg  the  ground  with  their  bayonets,  in 
"search  of  buried  treasures.     This  continued  during  the  day,  as  the 
"  army  was  passing,  am'.d  a  bewildering  sound  of  oaths  and  impreca- 
"tions,  mingled  w>h   the  clatter  of  the  poultry   and  the  noise  of  the 
"animals.     Atone  time  during  the   day,  passing  through   the  house, 
"my  attention  was  attracted  to  a  noise  in  the  parlor.     I  opened  the  door, 
"  and  was  just  in  time  to  see  two  soldiers  springing  out  of  the  window, 
"  in  possession  of  some  books  and  daguerreotypes  they  had  taken  from 
"  the   table.     Securing  the   windows,   I   turned  to   other  parts  of  the 
"  honse.     In  the  children's  room,  I  found  a  trunk  broken  open,  and  its 
*'  contents  strewn  upon  the  floor,  and  I  discovered  that  some  articles 
"  had  been  taken.     When  the  army  had  passed,  we  were  left  almost 
"destitute."     Another  lady  confessed  to  us  her  inability  to  desGiibe 
the  scene.     "I  can  only  say,"   said  she,   "it  was  bedlam  let  loose." 
Though  varied  in  particulars,  many  of  which  will  be  given  in  the  se- 
quel, the  testimony  of  every  eye-witness  on  the  enemy's  line  of  march, 
is  to  the  same  purport.     A  gentleman  of  high  character,  and  distin- 

fuished  in  the  political  annals  of  the  State,  was  arrested  at  his  resi- 
ence  near  Vermilionville,  and  carried,  on  the  line  over  which  was 
passing  this  motley  crowd,  twelve  miles  to  the  Carencro,  where  the 
lead  of  the  Federal  column  was  then  resting.  The  country  through 
whicb  this  line  passed  was  thickly  dotted  with  farms  and  plantations, 
iBierBW3t«d  by  the  public  road  aud  lateral  lauee.    Though  we  c»nu<rt 


reproduce  his  graphic  description  of  what  he  witne9%(l»  in  hit  oira 
words,  we  take  the  liberty  of  giving  euough  of  it,  from  njeiiiory,  u* 
co.^wy  an  idta  of  this  licentious  mai'ch.  >'The  roud,"  suid  he,  '"Was 
•'  filled  with  an  indiscriminate  ma>^s  of  armed  nier,  on  horseb;  ck  and 
"on  toot,  carts,  wagons,  cannon  and  cais'-on?',  rolling  along  in  most  tu- 
••  multuons  disorder,  while  to  the  right  and  to  the  letf,  joiuing  the  mass, 
•' and  detaching  from  it,  singly  and  in  groups,  were  hundreds  g  ing 
"  emptyrhanded  and  returning  laden  Disregarding  thp  lanes  and  path* 
*'  ways,  they  broke  through  fields  and  enclosures,  spreading  in  every 
"  direction  that  promised  plunder  or  aitnicted  curiosity.  Country  carts, 
•'horses,  ranles  and  oxen,  fujlowed  by  negro  men,  women,  and  even 
••children,  (who  were  pressed  into  service  to  earry  the  plunder,)  laden 
"  with  every  conceivable  object,  were  appioaching  and  niiiigling  iu  the 
•' mass  from  every  side.  The  most  whimsical  sci  nes  presented  them- 
"  selves,  at  every  step  :  horses  and  even  gentle  oxen,  wer«  pull,  d,  push* 
••  ed,  and  beaien  along  towards  this  seething  current,  with  pigs,  sli  ep, 
"geese,  ducks,  and  chickens  swinging  from  their  backs,  fluttering, 
/squealing,  and  quacking,  while  the  burthened  animals,  in  bewil  lered 
"am  iZemt-nt,  were  endeavoring  to  escape  from  their  persecutors.  These 
''  scenes,  repeated  at  every  step  on  my  way  to  Careucro,  was  only  va- 
"  ried  on  my  return,  by  the  diminished  objects  of  plunder  left  for  those 
"  that  came  after." 

The  Federal  a  my  established,  on  i*s  route,  military  posts  at  Frank- 
lin, New  ibi  ri;j,  bt.  Maitinssville  and  Veim  1  onvilh ,  with  sufficient 
"transportation  "  to  carry  out  what  seemed  to  be  the  main  object  of 
the  c'lmp^ngn.  Haltinj:  at  Opelousas.  with  its  right  renting  on  the 
Couitablcau  at  Wfisliington,  adequate  preparations  were  made  to  gather 
tile  fruits  of  iti*  maniKtld  victori;'S.  Immediately,  the  Conimissiry 
and  Qu  irti^rmaster's  wagons,  witl)  all  the  te-ms  wh.ch  could  be  pre.- 8  d 
in  the  couitry,  were  put  in  requisition  to  collect  cotton  and  sugar,  t) 
c>  rry  to  the  diflerent  laud'ugs  on  the  bayou,  thence  to  be  taki  n  otf  by 
steamers.  Horseiovu  were  i;ent  to  scour  the  country  in  every  cirection 
f-^r  stock.  The  less  philosophic  of  the  astonished  proprietors,  rushing 
to  Head  Qimrters  to  remonstrate  against  being  deprived  of  their  p<ipir- 
ty  in  so  summary  a  manner,  were  insnitingly  told  that  "receip  s  would 
be  given,  and  if  after  the  war,  they  could  prove  their  loy.'ihy.  they  might 
be  pa  d."  Even  tlie  lip  service,  which  has  souietime.s  passed  cuini.t, 
woidd  not  be  received,  in  exchange  for  property.  The  woik  of  spola* 
tion  went  on.  The  finest  blooded  stock,  imported  at  great  expense,  ai.d 
every  living  thing  of  value,  were  indiscriminately  appropr  atcd  for 
transportation  or  slaughtered,  papers  ransacked,  locks  picked,  strong* 
boxes  broken  open  ;  and  all  exportable  commodities,  convertible  into 
money,  were  shipped  as  fast  as  they  could  be  transported  by  steamers. 
While  matters  were  progressing  thus  favorably,  with  no  enemy  will.- 
in  a  hundred  miles,  General  Banks  was  summoned  to  a  new  scene  of 
action.  The  intelligence  having  reached  Opelousaj  that  Acimiral  Por- 
ter had  forced  tli9  detvncei  of  |i«d  Riv«r>  and  wai  stoauiiug  luWHidd 


Alexandria  -with  his  fleet,  it  becamfe  necessary  for  the  Federal  General 
to  put  his  army  in  motion,  to  share  with  Porter  the  glory  of  the  con- 
quest of  an  interior  undefendt-d  town.  He  accordingly  undertook  a 
forced  march  to  that  point.  En  route,  he  passed  up  the  Bayou  Bo3uf, 
through  a  planting  district,  lying  on  either  side  of  that  stream,  remark- 
able for  its  exuberant  fertility,  and  ornamented  with  extensive  planta- 
tions, cultivated  by  proprietors  of  education,  refinement  and  wealth. — 
So  effectually  was  this  Avealthy  region  laid  waste  during  this  Vandal 
march,  that  the  few  inhabitants  who  remained  clinging  to  their  deso- 
lated homesteads,  amidst  the  ruins  that  surrounded  them,  were  spared 
the  presence  of  the  Federal  army,  when  the  autumn  brought  it  back  to 
conaummfte  its  work  of  destruction. 

Whatever  agreeable  visions  may  have  occupied  the  mind  of  General 
Banks,  during  his  occupation  of  Alexandria,  were  rudely  dispelled  by 
a  summons  to  less  congenial  duties  than  those  of  reducing  helpless  citi- 
zens to  poverty.  Giving  his  weary  soldiers  but  little  time  to  rest,  after 
their  forced  ir?arch  to  Red  River,  he  precipitately  withdrew  from  Alex- 
andria, crossed  the  Mississippi,  and  resumed  the  siege  of  Port  Hudson. 
Meanwhile,  the  several  small  corps,  Ftruug  along  his  rear,  retreated  by 
■way  of  Berwick's  Bay,  carrying  with  them  loads  of  plunder,  and  thou- 
sands of  negroes,  as  will  be  more  particularly  noticed  in  another  place. 

After  the  Federal  forces  were  thus  withdrawn,  in  the  spring  of  1863, 
for  four  months  these  parishes  were  left  in  peace.  Many  of  the  citizens 
believing  that  the  storm  had  passed,  set  about  repairing  their  damag  d 
fortunes ;  while  others  less  confident  and  more  wi«e,  gathered  up  what 
was  left  of  the  wieck,  and  removed  beyond  the  borders  of  the  district. 

In  the  month  of  September,  1S63,  the  Federal  army  again  crossed 
Berwick's  Bay,  advanced  leisurely  along  the  route  taken  in  the  spring; 
and  rested  the  head  of  its  column,  on  the  Courtableau,  at  Washington. 
After  having  remained  in  this  position  several  weeks,  it  fell  gradually 
back,  sweeping,  as  with  a  drag-net,  every  thing  in,its  way,  until  it 
massed  itself  along  the  Teche,  on  the  Peninsula  embraced  within  the 
limits  of  St.  Maiy,  where  it  remained  encamped  during  the  winter 
months. 

The  Red  Riyer  campaign,  which  terminated  so  disastrously  to  the 
Federal  arms  at  Mansfield  and  Pleasant  Hill,  opened  in  March,  1864, 
just  one  year  after  the  expedition  undei-taken  for  the  devastation  of 
Opelousas  and  Attakapas.  The  larger  portion  of  the  army,  which  had 
fallen  back  upon  the  Peninsula,  was  withdrawn  from  time  to  time,  dur- 
ing th  e  winters  of  1863-4,  leaving  but  a  remnant  to  complete  the  de- 
struction of  that  beautiful  Parish.  But  in  the  early  spring,  it  was 
joined  by  the  several  corps  and  commands,  which  were  to  compose 
"The  Grand  Army  of  Louisiana  and  Texas."  This  grand  column  of 
invasion  commenced  the  blunders,  which  culminated  in  its  disaster  and 
route  in  North  Louisiana,  by  marching  through  the  country  which  it 
had  previously  stripped  of  the  means  of  furnishing  subsistence  or  for- 
.agr,  when  it  might  have  reached  Alexandria  in  twenty-four  houvp  by 


11 

river  transports  from  New  Orleans.  On  the  22d  of  March,  the  re»r 
guard  of  the  "grand  army"  passed  the  northern  limits  of  St.  Landry. — 
Since  then,  with  the  exception  of  occasional  visits  to  the  wooded  out- 
skirts, from  itilitary  posts  on  the  Mississippi,  by  marauders  who  came 
to  open  a  ballot  box,  in  which  to  deposit  their  own  votes;  or  to  capture 
or  marder  an  unoffending  citizen,  this  district  has  been  free  from  tho 
ti'ead  of  the  enemy. 

From  this  general  description  of  the  country,  and   the  operations  of 
the  invading  forces,  it  will  be   stien  how  far  the  Federal  General  may 
Congratulate  himself,  on  the  accomplishment  of  his  congenial   mission, 
viz;  tho  impoverishment  of  the  people,  and  the  destruction  of  the  re- 
sources of  the  country.     Gen.  Banks  found   this  district  a^ garden;  he 
left   it  a  desert.     By  his  hand,   the  fruit  of  the  patient  labor  of  half  a 
century  has  been  destroyed.     The  flocks  and  herds  that  ranged  upon 
its  verdant  praries  have  been  wantonly  swept  away.     Citizens,   whose 
means  once  enabled  them  to  dispense  a  liberal   and  heart-warm  hospi- 
tality, have  been  reduced  to  poverty   and  destitution.     Families,  who 
had  enjoyed  a  cultivated  ease  in  their  elegant  homes,  have  been  forced 
into  voluntary  exile,  to  seek   immunity  from  Federal   persecution  in  a 
land  of  .strangci's.     The   contented  and  happy  negro,   who  had  grown 
upon  the  soil,  fulfilling  the  destiny  that  God  had  prepared  for  him,  and 
through  which  He  might  have  been  leading  his  race  to  higherdestinies, 
has  been  recklessly  driven,  with  the  family,  from  a  once  peaceful  and 
happy  home,  to  a  life  of  degradation,  want,  and  painful  death.     For  the 
proper  fulfillment  of   the  duties  assigned  to   us,  inider  the    commission 
with  which  we  have   been  honored  by  your  Excellency,   we  have  tra- 
versed the    high-roads,    on  which   are  grouped   the  most  considerable 
plantations  cf  this  district,  from  the  lower  limits  of  Rapides  and  Avoy- 
elles, to  the  junction  of  the  Teche  with  tho  Atchafalaya;  and  although 
it  was  in  the  early  autumn,  and  on  the   approach  of  the  harvest,  with 
the  exception  of  occasional  half-cultivated  "patches,"  enclosed  by  the 
■wreck  of  former   field  fences,  we   saw,  along  this  whole  route  of  ISO 
miles,  but  a  few  meagre  vestiges  of  the  treasua'cs  of  the   earth,  cultiva- 
ted by  the  hand  of  man.     Along   the  entire  route  could  be    traced  the 
melancholy  monuments  of  the  devastating  march  of  the  enemy.     Unin- 
closed  fields  were  covered  with  the  rank  luxuriance  of  weeds  and  wild 
vines,  which  encroached  upon  the  very  thresholds  of  the  mansions,  still 
standing,  as  memorials  of  former  prosperity.     Somu  of  these  dwellings 
were  occupied  by  families,  living  upon  the  wreck  of  their  former  tor- 
tuu«s.     Others  were  entirely  deserted,  presenting,  with  their  unhinged 
doors  and  broken  Arindows,    a  gloomy   picture  of  decay.     The   sites  of 
others  were  marked  by  charred  ruins,    from  the  midst   of  which  arose 
the  blackened  remains  of  crumbling  chimney  stacks.     The   large   and 
costly  structures  erected  for  tho  manufacture  of  sugar,  as  well  as   the 
less  expensive  buildings  of  the  cotton  planter,  we  found  in  every  stage 
of  decay,    dilapidation   and    ruin,    owing,  either  to    the  absence   of 
flie    proprietor,     or  the    destroying    hand  of    the    anemy.      But   uf  , 


It 

)^m  remarkable  than  these  general  featnres,  was  the  abBPnce  of  the 
domestic  animals.  Thnuigh  St.  Landry  and  Lafayette,  wl  er^  the 
broad  u.aiiieB  sweep  down  to  the  road,  may  yet  be  been  a  t<  w  ca  t'e 
that  l;av<-  wandered  in  by  the  way  sidt  ;  lint  along  the  Teehe,  j.iiiUial 
life  diminished  at  every  step,  until,  below  Franklin,  even  tlie  most  ne- 
cessary dumestic  aninuils  disajtpeaied.  For  miies  nothing  could  be 
eetn  but  the  vulture  brooding,  fVom  some  sbattcred  tiee  top,  over  the 
desolate  scene;  or  the  hawk,  Bying  h^w,  in  si  arch  ot  his  piey,  over  the 
tangled  thickets  usurping  the  once  cultivated  fii  Ids.  But  the  exulier- 
ance  of  nature,  as  if  in  mockery  of  man's  desolation,  was  still  prrdigal 
ai'  its  bounties.  I'he  vine  of  the  pumpkitij  overhapiiig  the  thicket,  de 
posited  its  golden  treasure,  even  by  the  way  side;  aiid  we  s;iw  them, 
in  one  instance,  gathered  by  the  g.rls  of  the  adjacent  village,  who 
gleaned  over  this  desolated  field  for  bounties  thus  spontaneously  be- 
stowed. An  exception  to  this  scene  may  be  found  in  some  lends  of 
the  bayous,  some  curvatures  of  the  toad,  or  sortte  si  quest ered  nooks 
on  th»  lakes,  protected  by  their  situation  from  waste  and  destiuciion; 
but  these  places  are  few,  and  their  combined  products,  tor  the  present 
yea-.',  will  nit  equal  what  has  been  produced  annually  by  a  single  large 
plantation  on  the  Teche. 

Bat  out  of  the  cal.imities  with  which  the  scourge  of  war  has  afflicted 
the  people  of  this  ill-fated  district,  has  come  some  good.  Like  gold  pu- 
rified in  the  fire,  they  have  become  more  ardent  iu  their  patriotism,  in 
the  midst  of  their  adversity.  Tiiey  have  been  inspired  with  a  new 
z«al  in  the  cause  ot  our  independence.  Mor  men  have  girdeii  on  their 
armor  for  battle;  and  more  mothers  have  sent  out  their  husbands  and 
sons,  to  defend  their  homes  and  firesides  a^'ainst  the  tread  of  the  Van-* 
dal,  and  the  torch  of  the  incendiary. 

It  might  have  Lem  anticipated  that  the  exactions  of  a  hostile  army, 
occupyinj^  f  rich  agricultural  country,  would  fall  with  peculiar  severity 
on  its  inhabitants;  that  the  foraging  parties  would  not  nicely  balance 
between  their  militaiy  rights,  and  the  right  of  pt-operty  in  the  propria* 
tor;  and  that  many  acts  of  hardship  and  oppression  would  occur  trora 
the  exercise  of  unrentrained  poA^er.  A  just  appreciation  of  the  evils 
incident  to  a  state  of  war,  might  have  taught  the  reflecting  citizen  to 
brave  such  hardships  with  becoming  equanimity;  and  the  reflection  that 
invading  armies  are  not  always  entirely  free  from  tl  o  presence  of  the 
dissolute  and  the  depraved,  might  have  Jed  him  to  anticipate  some  ru  le 
attempt  upon  his  purse,  or  somo  aggravated  assault  upon  his  person. — 
But  the  outrages  committed  by  the  enemy  did  not  flow  from  the  ordi- 
nary sources  of  the  calamities  of  modern  warfare,  as  the  facts  embraced 
in  our  narrative  wiU'fully  demonstrate. 

We  have  been  commisBioned  by  your  Excellency,  to  prepare  "foi 
•'publication  and  historical  record,  a  full,  accurate,  authentic  statement 
"of  the  atrocities  and  barbarities  committed  by  the  Federal  officers, 
"troops  and  camp  followei-s,  during  their  late  invasions;"  and  we  will 
more  clearly  isabserve  the  purposes  of  tha  commission,  by  first  enutoer- 


12 

»fing,  under  tlieir  respt'ctive  heads,  the  charges  brought  «<!:ninst  the  en* 
emy,  and  afterwards  uuder  correspon  ling  h»^ads,  corrobori-tlng  them  hf 
deiuils. 

1.  The  Fe  iHralists  not  only  robbed  tho  planters  of  the  pnxluce  of 
tht^ir  liel:lj*,  ami  plimdereil  thn  g.)odij  of  tbe  inerchan^s;  but  they  de- 
stroyed die.  libraries  and  depositories  of  professional  nieii. 

2.  They  sacked  priv-ite  thvellings,  and  while  reveling  upon  the  con- 
ten;s  of  tUe  pin.ries  and  wine  celle.s,  tbey  grossly  and  indecent- 
ly insiilted  the  unprut.-ctod  females,  and  vrantonly  destroyed  tlit^ir 
last  remamts  of  food  a -id  clothing.  They  shatterr  d  the  crockery, 
glass  ware,  and  mirrors,  strewing  the  Hoor  with  their  fragmentp;  tlpey 
stovts  with  the  huts  of  their  muskets,  tlie  doors  of  side-boards  and  clos- 
ets, prized  open  drawers  with  tiie  points  ot  their  hayoueiB,  and  slashed 
with  tJjeir  sa  mvs  prized  objects  of  taste,  or  ornaments  consecrated  ta 
pious  uses;  ill  cooler  blood,  when  their  intoxication,  or  the  excitement 
of  a  general  licence  had  sui)sided,  they  dashed  to  pieces  and  burned  lor 
fuel  cosily  ariicl  s  of  furnitu.e,  and  prize. i  heir-looms  trom  formei  geu- 
urations. 

3.  They  violently  plundered  the  rich  of  their  money,  the  poor  of  their 
necessary  effects,  the  women  of  tiieir  jewelry,  and  .ven  the  cnildren  of 
their  trinkets.  Nor  did  they  spare  the  de;»d  They  sacrilegiously  rav- 
ished from  them  the  last  coveiing  which  enclosed  their  mortal  remains. 

4.  They  fired  volleys  among  passing  citiz  :;us,  and  groups  of  women 
and  children,  in  the  streets  ot  a  peaceful  vilh.ge. 

5.  They  viidated  the  sanctuary  and  the  tomb. 

6.  They  arbitrarily  arrested  peaceful  and  unoffending  citizens,  whom 
they  dr.igged  though  the  country  like  felons;  wlioiu  they  c mlined  un- 
der guard  in  exposed  situations,  or  lodged  in  jails  from  which  they  had 
loosed  the  depraved  and  the  criminal;  or,  whom  they  transported  to  a 
distant  city,  to  languish  f(n*  months  in  prison,  a  prey  to  the  cares  and 
anxieties  haunting  the  victim  thus  rudely  torn  from  his  family. 

7w  In  violation  of  the  dec-ncio'S  and  proprieties  ot  life,  they  unneces- 
sarily occupied  private  dwellings,  or  surrounded  them  with  th  ir  camps, 
so  that  helpless  ladies  were  driven  to  seoii  ret'uge  iu  interior  rooms, 
where,  besides  th  j  annoyances  ot  interrupted  privacy,  and  the  appre- 
hension of  in  >re  serious  intrusion,  they  were  deprived  of  the  comforts* 
and,  sometimes,  of  tho  necessaries  of  lite. 

8.  They  not  oily  razed  to  their  fou.idations,  or  wantonly  burned 
plantation  buildings  and  dwellings,  from  which  they  had  uriveii  the 
inmates;  but  they  tore  down,  over  their  heads,  the  sheltering  root  of 
the  widow  and  the  orphan. 

9.  I'bey  destro  .'ed  not  only  the  poultry,  the  flocks  and  herds,  the  fields* 
the  gardens,  and  the  orchards,  and  a'.tempted  to  destroy  tho  sources  of 
sa  t,  all  essential  to  sustain  and  preserve  lite,  but  they  also  destroyed 
tho  medicines  and  surgical  instruments,  indispensable  to  restore  health. 
They  not  only  chopped  td  pieces  or  burned  tho  aratory  instruiueuts, 
tbe  carts  and  wagons.  Ihe  corn  and  8Ujar  mills,  necessary  for  the  pro' 


1 1 

'Auction  of  a  netf  supply  of  fuod;  but  tUey  hacked  in  pieces  the  cards, 
tlie  spinning  wheels,  nml  tho  looms,  required  to  furuisb  the  neCessary 
'clothing;  s,nu,  as  if  this  \vei"0  not  sufficient  to  gratify  the  niost  refined 
malignity,  they  introduced  loathsome  diseases  among  the  people  whom 
they  had  previously  bereft  and  despoiled. 

10.  While  thus  violating,  on  the  one  hand,  the  law  of  the  christian, 
and,  on  the  other,  the  precept  of  the  Mohammedan,  they  set  at  uaug'ht 
both,  by  ileither  keeping  faith  not-  covenant  with  those  whom  they 
•drove  to  accept  their  protection,  on  the  condition  of  professed  allegiance, 
nor  with  the  credulous  negroes,  whom  they  had  perfidiously  drawn  in- 
to their  toils. 

I.  VV^e  have  already  alluded  to  the  fdct,  that  means  of  transportation 
■n-as  put  in  motion,  in  the  words  of  the  worthy  commandant  of  the  post 
al  Opelousas,  "to  collect  the  valuable  products  of  the  country;"  and 
-liis  report  will  show  the  result  of  the  operations  in  the  Parish  of  St. 
■Landry.  What  was  collected  at  the  other  Federal  military  posts,  we 
have  no  accurate  means  of  judging;  but,  as  Ave  find  the  same  com- 
.plaints  throughout  the  district,  we  presume  that  the  officers  command- 
ing them,  if  less  diligent,  had  a  success  at  least  commensurate  with 
their  efforts.  With  regard  to  the  merchants,  as  the  suspension  of  for- 
eign commerce  had  reduced  their  stocks  of  merchandize  to  a  low  ebb, 
(except  in  a  few  instances,)  the  only  articles  of  value  they  still  re- 
tained were  the  exchangeable  objects  of  the  country,  such  as  hides,  to- 
bacco, flour,  «fec.  These,  with  such  goods  as  were  left  on  the  shelves, 
were  generally  taken;  none  escaped  but  the  very  few  who  were  covered 
by  foreign  protection,  or  who  had  made  some  particular  interest  with 
the  enemy,  and  even  those  were  sometimes  plundered.  The  iron  safes, 
possessed  by  most  of  the  merchants  in  the  country,  unless  they  were 
emptied  and  purposely  left  open,  as  in  some  instances  they  were,  were 
forcibly  entered,  and  their  contents  taken  or  destroyed.  Mr.  Hine,  of 
the  Parish  of  St.  Mary,  had  replenished  his  stock  of  goods;  and,  on  the 
second  advance  of  the  enemy,  he  had,  probably,  a  larger  supply  than 
had  been  in  the  possession  of  any  one  merchant  in  this  district,  since 
the  close  of  the  first  year  of  the  war.  His  store  was  sacked  by  a  New 
York  regiment,  under  the  command  of  ;i  Col.  Love.  This  ofiScer,  how- 
ever he  may  have  illustrated  the  tenderness  of  his  name,  while  engaged 
at  home  in  his  handicraft  or  other  peaceful  pursuit,  sadly  belied  it  here, 
as  Mr.  Hine  testifies.  Under  his  superintendence,  this  store  was  bro- 
ken open,  and  those  articles  which  could  not  be  taken  away,  such  as 
hardware,  were  thrown  into  the  Teche,  which  ran  near  by.  After  thus 
disposing  of  the  contents  of  the  building,  his  men  attacked  the  iron 
safe  which  was  very  large  and  strong.  Working  faithfully  eight  hours 
Avithout  success,  with  a  battering  lara  constructed  Avith  bars  of  iron 
lashed  together,  they  were  about  ceasing  their  labors;  but  encouraged 
by  the  Colonel,  Avho  cried,  "Go  on,  boys,  don't  give  it  up  so  !"  thoy 
persevered  and  finally  accomplished  their  object  Finding  the  con- 
tents to  consist  only  of  merchants'  aocount  books  and  papers,  which, 


u 

tlion«i;h  of  the  last  importance  to  tbc  owner,  were  of  no  possible  value 
to  them,  they  gratified  th»^ir  disappointment  in  the  destruction  of  thty 
frnits  of  years  of  jmremitting  industry.  Not  content  with  plundering- 
and  destroying  liis  visible  effects:,  they  now  annihilated  the  evidence 
of  his  credits,  Turning  his  ciccount  books  inside  out,  they  trampled 
the  leaves  in  the  mud;  and  tearing  asunder  his  bundles  of  valuable  pa- 
pers, they  scattered  them  in  the  street;  then,  to  crown  their  malevo- 
lence, they  "besmeared,"  to  use  the  words  of  Mr.  Hine,  "the  house  from 
top  to  bottom,  and  left  it." 

This  accouni^  M'hich  we  have  from  this  gentleman,  corroborated  front 
other  sources,  well  illustrates  the  Federal  mode  of  proceeding  with  the 
merchant;  with  those  of  the  learned  professions,  the  proceedings  were 
no  less  summary.  We  ha\e  witnessed  this,  in  fho  torn  and  charred 
remains  of  libraries  which  are  scattered  broadcast  in  the  villages  ;  and 
in  the  broken  and  mutilated  safes  wliich  once  enclosed  their  important 
legal  documents  and  papers, — for  the  lawyer's  strong-box  shared  the- 
same  fate  with  that  of  the  merchant,  IMajor  Anderson,  a  Representa- 
tive in  the  State  Legislature  from  the  Parish  of  St.  Landry,  had  a  valu- 
able library  which  was  consumed  as  fuel  under  the  boilers  of  his  engine, 
"  set  in  operation  "  to  grjnd  meal,  by  the  Forty  First  Massachusetts 
regiment. 

IL  In  entering  upon  the  subjects  appropriated  to  this  head,  we  are 
met  at  the  thresliold,  by  a  mass  of  testimony,  written  and  verbal,  so 
voluminous  and  so  alike  in  general  character,  that  we  find  it  difficult 
to  make  proper  selections.  It  would  appear  from  this  testimony  that 
the  general  license  accorded  to  the  Federal  army,  on  entering  the  coun- 
try, was  restricted  after  passing  the  Vermillion.  We  may  judge  that 
this  restriction  had  been  necessary  to  prevent  the  entire  dissolution  of 
the  bonds  which  bound  the  army  together  in  a  controllable  mass  ;  but, 
be  this  as  it  may,  we  find,  as  it  approached  St.  Landry,  that  there  Avas 
a  prohibition  against  entering  private  dwellings,  which  w.ts  attempted 
to  be  enforced  ;  while  below  dwellings  were  entered  with  impunity,  and 
sacked  under  the  eye  of  the  officers. 

As  the  Federal  column  advanced  up  the  banks  of  thp  lower  Atcliafa- 
laya  and  the  Teche,  its  gunboats,  which  rnoveffa  little  in  advance, 
•threw  shells  to  the  right  and  left,  over  houses  and  among  the  buildings 
of  the  plantations.  The  startled  inmates,  overwhelmed  with  terror, 
rushed  wildly,  taking  with  them  nothing  but  the  clothes  on  their  per- 
sons, in  search  of  places  of  shelter  and  protection.  When  the  imminent 
danger  was  over,  or  after  the  column  had  passed,  they  returned  to  their 
homes  to  find  themselves  bereft  of  every  article  of  luxury,  of  com- 
fort and  necessity. 

We  have  before  us  a  statement  from  the  family  of  John  M.  Bateman, 
Esqr.,  an  aged  and  wealthy  planter,  who  lives  on  the  lower  Atcha  alaya, 
nearest  the  Bay,  the  starting  point  of  the  Federal  advance,  which  we 
shall  use  in  this  and  other  places,  to  illustrate  the  character  of  the  Fed- 
,^ral  oiltrageB.  Admonished  by  a  Bhell  "  which  passed  through  the  din- 


icg  room  And  exploded  in  the  yard  beyond,"  thia  fainilj  abruptly  tLed. 
irom  their  dwelling.  Returning  the  next  day,  they  foiitfd  a  scent?  of 
dosolatjon  difficult  to  be  describe  d.  "Fences  were  broken  down; 
♦'  phrubbery  broken  and  trampled  under  foot ;  corn  husks,  fodder,  hay 
"  and  broken  glass,  and  table  ware,  were  scattered  over  the  yard  : 
••  without  all  wa.s  disorder;  within,  all  ruin.  4-  company  of  Federals 
"  had  occupied  the  residence,  fed  their  horse?  around  the  house,  from 
"  the  provender  of  the  place,  while  they  had  helped  themselves  from 
•'  the  garden,  store-room,  closet  and  dairy.  Making  the  servants  cook 
"  tor  them,  they  had  feasted  on  all  they  could  find  to  gratify  their  ap- 
*'  petites.  With  their  bayonets  they  had  iiplit  open  the  pannels  of  a 
"c<i.-;tly  side-ho  rd,  and  brf)ken  into  a  closet,  Irom  which  they  had 
«' abstracted  the  liqudrs,  preserves  and  jellies.  Nor  was  feast  ng  and 
•'drinking  all  the  damage  they  had  done.  With  b^iyonets  and  kicks, 
"they  had  broken  the  glass  in  the  windows,  the  large  parlor  mirror, 
•«  the  glass  in  the  doors  of  the  dining  room  safe,  and  the  fine  cut-glas3 
*'  table  ware,  with  a  beautiful  set  of  china,  imported  from  France  before 
"  the  war.  The}'  had  carried  off  knives,  spoons,  kitchen  utensils,  table 
"  cloths,  napkins,  and  dairy  bowls,  in  fact,  every  thing  portable  about 
"  the  house." 

Mr.  Fortier,  a  highly  r.^spec*able  gi^ntlem-in  fr  )m  the  coast,  with  his 
family  consisiing  of  a  wife  and  nine  children,  the  youngest  an  infant, 
had  taken  refuge  in  St.  Mary.  He  occuiiied  a  dwelling  on  a  p'antation 
between  Franklin  and  Jeanere'.t-;.  Atthistim  ,  hearingfhe  firing  below, 
he^  with  his  family,  fled  in  cons  ernation  for  safety  and  protection,  to  a 
neighboring  plantation.  In  his  absence  many  soldier.'^,  inclu  ling  offi- 
cers, from  tie  advancing  column?,  fell  out,  an  I  taking  possession  of  rhe 
premises,  they  ga  hered  in  the  stn-vants  nf  the  plantation,  wli>ii,  while 
administering  to  their  pleasures,  they  incited  to  plunder.  Then  c  im- 
menced  a  regular  bacchanalian  carouse.  Drawing  out  the  hoirdi-d 
luxuries  of  the  family,  dashing  open  side-boards  an  I  closets,  to  come 
more  readily  at  their  contents,  they  drank  wassail  amid  the  clashes  of 
glasses,  which  were  thrown  over  their  shoulders  as  fast  as  emptied,  and 
■with  stentorian  voires  calling  for  more,  they  danced  in  mad  glee  am  lag 
the  fi-agmentfi.  Whil#their  wants  were  being  supplied  by  servants, 
with  whom  to  hear  was  to  obey,  they  varied  their  entertainment  with 
feats  of  dexterity  agajjist  mirrors  and  such  other  objects  as  afford  sport 
to  the  licentious.  At  length,  in  the  fervor  of  excitement,  an  officer,  it , 
is  said,  mounted  the  table  and  commenced  au  tioning  ofif  the  furniture 
and  other  objects,  which  could  not  be  conveni  mtly  carried  away.  The 
servants,  participating  in  the  excitement,  brought  in  their  little  hordes 
of  silver,  and  an  active  bidding  immediately  ensued.  Pianos,  armoirs, 
side-b  )«ards,  &c.,  were  knocked  off  on  the  most  liberal  terms,  timidst 
peals  of  wild  laughter,  and  the  low  chuckle  pf  the  grinning  nei;-roes.-r— 
These  deluded  victims  thought,  undoubtedly,  that  the  world  had  turned 
upside  down,  and  that,  by  a  happy  chance,  they  had  come  upperraoBt. 
Thj^  gBOf^  ^j?^  h!0iii|i^t3irticl9p  ^4»pt«^  to  t(^3.5[iQ8,t.re4uecLta*t9, 


17 

anil  eveu  tlie  more  discriminating  loaded  tbemBelves  with  objects  an- 
suited  to  their  wants  or  condition.  While  this  was  going  on,  the  more 
prudent  of  the  soldiers,  those  who  perhaps,  in  Massachusetts,  had  been 
early  taught  that  the  pleasures  of  the  bowl  were  always  subordinate  to 
the  "  main  chance,"  were  making  perquisitions  for  "  the  valuable 
products."  Learning  from  the  blacks,  or  conjecturing  from  the  circum- 
stances of  the  family,  that  plate  and  jewelry  were  concealed  in  the 
house,  they  penetrated  into  every  supposed  hiding  place.  They  tore 
down  the  wainscot  from  floor  to  ceiling  ;  and  in  the  ardor  of  their 
search  they  hardly  spared  the  rqof.  What  ever  may  have  been  their 
success  here,  it  is  certain  they  found  in  the  house  a  large  amount  of 
"  valuable  product,"  which,  with  every  other  portable  object  they  carr- 
ried  away.  When  this  family  returned,  they  found  themselves  sudden- 
ly bereft  of  every  thing  they  had  :  not  a  morsel  of  food,  none  of  the 
luxuries  or  conveniences  of  life,  not  even  a  chan^-e  of  clothing  for  the 
infant,  was  left  to  them,  in  their  destitution. 

Mr.  Eugene  Olivier,  living  below  New  Iberia,  was  driven  from  his 
dwelling  by  the  apprehensions  which  impelled  so  many  to  leave  theirs. 
On  the  near  approach  of  the  gunboats,  taking  his  child  in  his  arms,  and 
followed  by  his  shrinking  wife,  he  ran  up  on  the  banks  of  the  bayou, 
trusting  that  no  ball  would  be  directed  towards  him  as  loi«g  as  he  re- 
mained with  his  family  in  view  of  the  gunners.  Presently  he  was 
halted  by  a  soldier  from  the  opposite  bank,  who,  leveling  his  gun, 
cried:  "I  only  want  to  shoot  you,  put  down  your  child!"  Mrs.  Oli- 
vier, with  the  charastbristic  generosity  qf  her  sex  in  similar  situations, 
flew  to  interpose  her  own  pei'son  between  her  husband  and  the  menacing 
gun.  The  gentleman,  while  holding  off  his  wife  with  his  disengaged 
arm,  scornfully  taunted  the  ruffian  for  his  baseness  [lachete] ;  the  sol- 
dier, dropping  his  weapon,  churlishly  ordered  him  to  go  on.  He  did 
BO.  and  at  every  step  the  wild  sounds  of  revelry,  proceeding  from  his 
dwelling,  reached  his  ear.  He  could  hear,  blended  with  the  sound  of 
his  piano,  which  sent  forth  notes  such  as  could  only  be  drawn  from  it 
by  the  heavy  hand  of  a  drunken  dragoon,  the  sound  of  heavy  tramping, 
and  clanging  scabbards,  mingled  with  the  rude  laughter  and  ruder  im- 
precations of  the  licentious  soldiers,  whp  were  desecrating  his  house- 
hold with  their  mad  dance.  He  returned  to  his  I'esidence  to  find  it  en- 
tirely denuded.  Furniture,  beds  and  bedding,  food  and  naiment,  and 
cooking  utensils  had  been  alike  appropriated  or  destroyed. 

Mr.  Hau,  residing  in  St.  Landry,  not  apprehending  danger,  ha(J 
gone  with  his  family  to  visit  a  daughter,  who  resided  a  day's  journey 
from  him.  When  he  returned  thj  Federal  army  had  passed.  Like  the 
angel  of  death,  it  had  rested  but  a  moment  to  leave  ruin  in  its  track. 
From  kitchen  to  parlor,  from  cellar  to  garret,  all  was  empty ;  even  ths 
bucket  had  been  taken  from  the  well. 

But  if  freer  scope  was  given  in  houses  untenanted,  those  whose  in- 
mates remained  were,  in  many  instances,  violated  with  the  same  inde- 
cencv. 


18 

The  dwelling  of  Capt.  E.  0.  Darby,  situated  above  Franklin,  was 
sacked  in  the  presence  of  his  family,  by  a  regiment  of  Gen.  Dwight's 
division,  which  was  then  acting  under  the  command  of  one  Captain 
Frederick.  Ordering  his  men  to  shoot  Capt.  Darby,  if  he  should  at- 
tempt to  resist,  he  proceeded  with  a  deliberateness  of  design  that  dis- 
covered his  instincts  as  well  as  his  expeitness.  While  some  of  his  men 
secured  the  animals  used  for  the  purposes  of  luxury  or  convenience, 
others  fell  upon  the  carriages  and  carts,  destroying  such  as  could  not 
be  readily  taken  away,  while  others  were  employed  in  chasing  the 
flocks  and  the  poultry  with  which  the  premises  were  abundantly 
stocked.  But  the  larger  portion  were  engaged  in  more  agreeable  occu- 
pations. They  brought  out  the  wines  and  liquors  from  the  well-filled 
cellar.  The  medicines  they  trampled  under  foot.  They  appropriated 
the  siver  plate,  the  bed  and  table  linen,  the  articles  of  the  toilet,  and 
the  entire  family  wardrobe,  and  destroyed  all  the  furniture  of  the  table 
and  of  the  house.  Captain  Frederick  then  left  the  family  standing  on 
their  bare  floors. 

The  dwelling  of  lSli\  Davisan  Olivier  was  searched  in  his  presence, 
though  fortunately  in  the  absence  of  the  female  members  of  his  family, 
by  the  Second  Ehode  Island  Cavalry,  While  a  lusty  dragoon  thumped 
upon  the  piano,  his  fellows  whirled  around  in  the  excited  mazes  of  a 
dance,  which  was  enlivened  by  the  clank  of  scabbards  against  the  floor 
or  the  furniture,  by  rowdy  songs,  obscene  exclamations,  and  resound- 
ing whoops,  which  would  have  delighted  a  band  of  Sioux  or  Pottawata- 
mies.  Had  this  entertainment  ended  here,  the  proprietor  of  the  house 
might  have  been  compensated  for  his  lacerated  sensibilities  by  the 
safety  of  his  effects;  but  when  the  war  dance  ended,  the  pillage  com- 
nieifsed.  A  party,  attacking  an  armoir  with  their  sabres,  were  spared 
the  hazard  of  breaking  by  Mr.  Olivier,  who  promptly  presented  the 
key,  and  stood  by  to  witness  all  his  clothing  and  the  contents  of  his 
pocket-book  distributed  among  the  licentious  soldiers.  Parties  pene- 
trating other  rooms,  soon  came  forth  laden  with  the  spoils  of  the  parlor, 
the  dining  room,  the  bed  chamber,  the  closets  and  other  receptacles  of 
household  effects.  Nothing,  which  could  be  carried  away,  was  left  be- 
hind— not  even  a  supply  of  food  for  the  evening  meal. 

On  the  Olivier  estate,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Mary,  resided  a  venerable 
lady,  the  head  of  that  numerous  and  highly  respectable  family,  the 
relict  o£  a  distinguished  gentleman,  who  was  the  connecting  link  be- 
tween an  honorrble  ancestry  and  descendants  noted  for  the  qualities 
which  enlighten  the  council-board  and  adorn  the  social  circle.  But 
neither  age,  nor  worth,  nor  position,  could  protect  her  against  insult. 
As  the  column  of  Gen.  Banks  trailed  its  slow  length  along,  like  the  ser- 
pent which  carries  its  venom  vrithin  its  ceils,  the  dwelling  of  this  ven- 
erable lady  was  filled  with  riotous  soldiery,  whose  sounds  of  revelry 
might  have  been  distinctly  heard  by  the  trailing  masses  as  they  passed 
along  the  road.  Her  dining  room,  and  the  various  ofiices  connepted 
with  her  metiage,  were  situated  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  dwelling. 


19 

This  portion  of  the  building  was  occupied  all  the  day  by  a  ribald  rout> 
who,  while  they  were  reveling  on  the  contents  of  the  plentiful  pantry, 
store-room  and  wine-cellar,  called  in  the  female  servants  of  the  planta- 
tion, whom  they  compelled  to  share  in  their  debaucheries,  to  assist  in 
the  pillage,  and  to  minister  to  their  pleasures.     The  more  refined  maid 
servants  of  the  hous6  fled  for  protection  to  their  mistresses,   to  whose 
private  apartments  they    Were   pursued  by  intoxicated  ruffians,  who, 
with  drawn  sabres,  and  using  indecent  and  opprobrious  epithets,  drove 
them  forth.     To    the   weeping  ladies,  whom  they    abused  with  ribald 
tongues,  and  whose  tears  they   derided,  one   of   them,  with  menacing 
gestures  ciied  :  "Dry  up  ;  we've  seen  enough  of  you  Southern  women's 
tears."     The  venerable  lady  of  the  mansion,  thinking  perhaps  that  her 
presence  might  inspire  respect,  had  gone   below,  to  exert  her  influence 
ou  the  rout,  to  cause  them  to  cease  their  orgies,  and  to  spare  at  least 
something  on  which  to  subsist  the  family.     Upon  entering  the  dining 
room,  she  was  accosted  by  an  intoxicated  soldier,  Who  rushed  towards 
her,  thrusting  to  her  lips  a  goblet  of  the  lees  of  wine,  brutally  exclaim- 
ing: "Drink,  you  damned  old  rebel,  drink  to  the  Union!"     The  pre- 
cipitate retreat  of  the  lady  was  followed  by  jeers  and  taunts,  and  shouts 
of  drunken  laughter.     She  gained  with  effort   the  apartment  to  which 
her  family  had  withdrawn,  where  overwhelmed  with  bitter  tears,  she 
sank  exhausted  in  the   arms  of  her   despairing  children.     During  the 
ensuing  night  these  ladies  were  guarded  by  the  feeble  arm  of  a  private 
soldier,  whose  conduct   would  be  more    particularly  noticed  except  tor 
the  reason  given  in  the  sequel.  The  next  day  the  soldiers,  after  having 
broken   what  they  could   not  carry   away,  and  destroyed    what  they 
could  not  consume,  left  the  premises;  and  the  family,  on  re-occupying 
them  found  only  a  disordered  mass  of  broken  fragments  lying  around. 
The  last  instance  we  shall  give  of  this  species  of  outrage,  occurred 
in  the  family   of  -\'ajor  Gr.  La  C.  Fusiliei',   who  resides  on  the    lower 
Teche,  in  the  same  Parish.     Maj.  Fusilier,  the  representative  of  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  creole  families  of  Attakapas,   was  as  noted  for  his 
munificent  hospitality,    as   for  the  chivalric   character  which  impelled 
him,  at  an  advanced  age,  to  encounter  the   hardships  of  the  camp,  and 
to  brave  the  perils  of  the  field.     His  lady,  who  united  refinement  of  man- 
ners and  dignified    deportment,    with  the   quality  of  an  accomplished 
inanager  of  a  lai-ge  domestic  establishment,  was  left,  like  a  chieftainess 
of  old,   to   manage  her   numerous  dependents    and  servants,  while   her 
husbftud  stemmed  the  head)'  fight,  or  joined  in  the  toilsome  march. — 
One  day  a  company  of  Federalists  halted  at  the   front  gate,  and  from 
it  a  detachment  rode  to  the   door  of  the  house.     Hastily  dismounting, 
some  threw  their  reins  to  others  who  remained  behind,  and  rushed  in, 
as  if  to  carry  by  assault  a  defended  place.     Meeting  the  lady  in  the 
hall,  they  passed  her  rudely,  without  remark  or  explanation,  and  im- 
mediately commenced  ransacking  tho    house.     Without  waiting   for 
keys,  or  even  demanding  them,  they  violently  broke    open  doors,  ar- 
moirs,    drawer.s,  and  whatever  interposed  an  obstacle   to  their  search, 


20 

indulging  in  bo-isterous  oaths  aud  obscene  language,  and  pillaging  every 
article  that  could  be  conveniently  bestowed  about  their  persons.     The 
terrified  domestics,   running  through  the  house,  were  pursued,  with  in- 
decent and  menacing  exclamations,  which  added  to  the  general  confu- 
sion.    One  of  the  party,   perhaps  touched  by  the   distress  of   the  mis- 
tress    of  the    mansion,   addressed    her    in    Fi-ench,    suggesting    that 
ing  that  his  party  were  unauthorized  to  search  for  arms  in  this  manner, 
and  that  she  should  appeal  to  the  Colonel,  who  was  with  the  main  body. 
The  Colonel    presently  appeared   in  person.     She  represented'   to  him 
her  situation,  and  demanded  the  protection  whieh  is  due  to  every  lady. 
"Protect  you  !"  he  cried,  rushing  by  her,  the  hilt  of  his  sword  catching 
in  her  dress  and  whirling  her  around;  "Protect  you,  a  rebel;   never  ! — ■ 
No  protection  to  rebels  !"     The  presence  of  the  Colonel  only  increased 
the   rudeness   of  his   followers.     They  found,   up  stairs,  some  brandy^ 
which  rendered  them  still  more  boisterous.     Some  of  the  party,  coming  ' 
down,  presented  him  a  travelling  bag,   remarking',    "Here,  Cjlonel,  is 
something  that  will  suit  you."     It  contained    Major  Fusilier's  clothes,' 
on  perceiving  which,  the  Colonel  turned  to  the  lady  and  said:  "I  shali- 
pass  here  this  evening,  and  I  want  this  bag.     If  I   don't  fiwd  tt  here, 
you'll  see  what'll  happen."     He  then    peremptorily  ordered  breakfast 
for  his  command,  which,   being  provided  by  the    servants,   and  eaten,- 
the  party  rode  off.     Two  hours  after,  the  sergeant,  who  conducted  the  ' 
search  in  the  morning,   returned   and  demanded  the   ti«avelling  bag. — 
Madame  Fusilier  answered  by  informing  him  of  the  threat  of  his  Col- 
onel.    "The  Colonel   has   sent  for   it;"   he    answered.     "VVhat    is  the 
name  of  your  Colonel]"  responded  the  lady.     "That's 'none  of   your 
business,"  he  replied.     She  then  asked  him  for  a  receipt.     He  gruffly 
refused  aud  snatched   the   bag  from  her  hands.     Going  to  the  front  of 
the  house,  he   delivered  it    to  one  ofhis   men  on  horseback,  and   went 
round  the   house  to  the  rear,  where  he  found  the   gardener,  a   French- 
man, advanced  in  years,  and  who  could  not  speak  the  English  language. 
Him  he  ordered  to  get  a  brand  of  fire  to  burn  the  house.     The  man,  on- 
ly understanding  the    menacing  looks   and  gestures   of  the  Sergeant, 
shrunk  back,  terrified.     The  Sergeant  drew  his  pistol  and   felled   him 
to  the  earth,  and  immediately  jumping  upon  him  commenced  rifling 
his  pockets.     Having  thus   robbed  the  poor  fellow  of  what  money  he 
had.  he  dragged  him  to  the  kitchen,  put  a  fii-e  brand  in  his  hand,  and 
hauled  him  back  to  the  house.     Meeting  the  lady  in  the  hall,  he  exhib- 
ited to   her  the  fire,  whieh  he  ordered    to  be  thrown  upon  the    floo*. — 
Then  presenting  his  pistol  to  her  breast,   he  demanded  all  the  clothes 
she  had  hidden.     While   she  was   denying  and  expostulating,   one  of 
the  men  without  called  to  him.     He  went  out;  and,  after  a  brief  con- 
sultation, the  party  hurriedly  rode  away.     The  fire,  which  was  left  kin-* 
dling  on  the   floor,   was    soon   extinguished.     The  federalists,    at  this 
time,  were  in  undisputed  occupation  of  tlie  country;  and  the  only  pro- 
tection which  could  be  sought  was  that  of  the  Federal  commander. — 
Madame  Fusilier,  finding,  not  only  her  dwelling,  but  her  life  in  jeopar- 


21 

'Ay,  abandoned  her  home  to  the  charg«  of  laithfnl  domestics,  and  Kotigit 
this  protection.  While  ^e  remained  in  Franklin,  then  the  Federal 
head-quarters,  she  lodged  at  the  house  of  a  friend,  from  whence,  every 
day,  she  saw  her  carriage  and  horses  driven,  with  insolent  bravado, 
under  window,  conveying  officers  smoking  cigars,  and  reclining  in 
every  attitude  in  the  stolen  equippage.  And  while  these  scenes  were 
enacted  under  her  eye,  her  elegant  house  in  the  country  was  occupied 
by  federal  officers,  who  outraged  the  sensibilities  of  the  christian,  and 
the  obligations  of  common  decency,  by  desecrating  her  private  chapel* 
and  breaking  down  the  altar  with  all  its  appropriate  decorations,  and 
by  breaking  to  pieces  and  burning,  on  her  hearthstones,  her  splendid 
furniture;  thus  destroying  the  objects  associated,  in  her  mind,  with 
the  most  pleasing  and  holiest  recollections  of  her  domestic  life.  She 
was  compelled  to  femain  in  Franklin  until  the  work  of  destruction  had 
bften  completed.  Not  until  then  could  she  receive  a  "pass"  to  return. 
"Then,"  say^  she,  "I  found  ray  house  empty.  The  little  furniture  that 
"had  been  f?aved,  my  servants  had  secreted  in  their  cabins.  My  car- 
"pets  had  been  cut  to  pieces,  my  curtains  torn  down  and  destroyed, 
"and  my  furniture  broken  up  and  burned  for  fuel.  The  windows  and 
"doors  Were  broken,  and  the  hall,  covered  with  litter,  appeared  as  if  it 
"had  been  used  for  stabling  horses.  My  cooking  range,  and  cooki-«g 
"Utensils  even,  had  been  broken  or  carried  away."  Furniture,  it  would 
appear,  was  found  in  many  places  a  convenient  substitute  for  firewood. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Rand,  of  Vermilionville,  "was  arrested  in  the  dead  hour 
of  night,  on  some  frivolous  pretest,  and  conducted  to  an  offices',  who 
was  comfortably  stretched  before  a  fire,  made  of  tables  and  chairs  ta- 
ken from  a  neighboring  house. 

III.  We  have  already  described  the  perquisition  for  concealed  treas- 
ure, on  tho  march;  we  shall  have  occasion,  in  another  place,  to  refer 
to  the  robbery  of  the  negroes.  But  we  may  observe  here,  that  whilo 
the  success  of  the  latter  was  commensurate  with  the  efi'ort,  that  of 
the  former  was  not  inconsiderable.  On  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
most  of  the  families,  with  a  well-grounded  cistrust,  or  »  distinctive  ap- 
prehension of  the  Union-savers,  concealed  or  buried  their  valuable 
plate  and  ornaments.  Sometimes  by  the  treachery  of  the  servants, 
and  sometimes  by  accident,  these  treasures  were  discovered  and  seized. 
A  lad^  in  St.  Mary  had  sent  to  a  relation  in  St.  Landry,  her  plate  and 
jewelry,  of  no  inconsiderable  value;  and  the  relation,  not  venturing  to 
keep  what  he  could  not  protect,  buried  it,  with  his  own,  in  a  remote 
place,  and,  as  he  thought,  with  gi-eat  secrecy;  it  was  found,  disinterred, 
and  carried  away.  In  trenching  a  garden  near  Opelousas  with  the 
bayonet,  not  an  unasual  proceeding,  a  lucky  soldier  threw  up  a  thous- 
and or  more  dollars  in  gold  and  silver,  which  amply  rewarded  him  for 
his  virtucms  labors.  '  In  an  island  of  woods  near  the  same  town,  after 
diligent  search  a  valuable  deposit  of  gold  and  silver,  and  jewelry,  was 
brought  to  light  and  appropriated  by  the  robbers.  Plundering  was 
nniversal';   and,  as  tha  impunity  offered  to  the  soldiers  was  not   suffi- 


cient,   suitable  auxilaries  were  employed  to  make  it  more  thorough. — 
The  arts  used  to  obtain  treasure,  were  such  as  have  been  employed  by 
the  unprincipled  in  every  age;  delusive  promises,  violent  seizure,  ter- 
ror, the  cord,  and  the  baton.     At  Mr.  Joseph  Frere's,  in  St.  Mary,  the 
proceeding  was  a  Vaimablc     A  party  of  officers,  leaving  their  command 
at  the  gate — for  the  appearance  of  the  premises  promised  higher  game 
than  was  suited  to  the  common  herd — entered  the  house.     Meeting  Mr. 
Frere  in  the  hall,  after  complimenting  him  on  the  general  appearance  of 
his  mansion  and  the  sun-ounding-  property,  they  suggested  in  the  mildest 
manner,  the  possibility  of  its  being  protected;  indeed,  if  properly  remu- 
nerated, they  had  no  doubt  they  could  afford  all  the  protection  necessa- 
ry.    Mr.  Frere  was  not  in  funds.     Had  he  not  some  articles  of  value — 
a  watch  for  instance  ?     One  of  the  party  was  immmediately  made  hap- 
py in  the  possession  of  the  gentleman's  watch.     Another  thought  such 
an  appendage  would  gratify  him;  and  another  watch  was  produced. — 
The  others,  charmed  with  the   appeaa-ance  of  their  fellows,  with  their 
newly   acquired  property,  would   each    like    a  watch.      Fortunately, 
among  the  ladies  of  the  family,  a  sufficient  number  were  found  to  grat- 
fy  those  whose  wants  were  the  most  pressing.     But  they  were  not  res- 
tricted in  their  fancies.     They   had  sweet-hearts  and  wives.     Chains, 
broaches,  bracelets,  diamond  and  even  plain  rings,  it  was  insinuated, 
w^ould  be  acceptable.     In  fact,  on  reflection,  they  had  pressing  need  of 
those  articles,  and  would  be  obliged  to  take  them.     The  ladies   of  the 
family,  in  consternation  at  the  increasing  demands,  which  now  assured 
them  that  personal  violence  would  follow  refusal,  divested   themselves 
of  their  ornaments,   and  handed  thenl   over  to   these  gentleman  of  the 
Federal  army.     But  as  they  could  not  appear  in  ornaments  only  suita- 
ble for  ladies,  at  the  entertainments  given  by  the  Commander-in-Chief 
and  other  officers,  in  the    confiscated  houses  in   Ne^r  Orleans,    they 
thought  it  desirable   to   have  some  which  would  be  more  appropriate 
and  better  adapted   to  the  dignity  of  their  rank.     One  of  them  gently 
insinuated  his  fingers  into  the  bosom  of  Mr.  Frere's  shirt,  and  extracted 
a  diamond  stud.     No    further  ceremony  was    now    necessary,   and  no 
inore    was  attempted.     Proceeding    directly  to   the    business  in  hand, 
they  broke  open  the  gentleman's  armoirs,  bureaux,  and  other  recepta- 
cles,  and  abstracted  such  articles  of  clothing  and  taste  as  suitad    their 
fancy.     They  were  particularly  gratified  in  finding  several  dozen  fine 
Parisian   shirts,  which,    with  the  other  little  articles  of  hijoutrie  they 
had  picked  up,  no  doubt  made  them  objects  of  envy,  at  the  promenade 
concert*  of  the  ensuing  winter,  in  the  metropolis. 

In  other  instances,  they  disregarded  the  suaviter  in  modo,  and  resort- 
ed to  the  most  summary  means.  At  Mr.  John  D.  Hudspeth's,  in  St. 
Landry,  they  placed  a  negro  on  guard  over  the  person  of  the  venerable 
proprietor,  while  they  conducted  the  search.  They  found  some  mon- 
ey. But  the  supply  not  corresponding  with  their  expectations,  they 
were  indeceatb  in  their  abuse,  and  gratified  their  disappointment  by  ap- 
propriating all  Mr.  Hudspeth's  wearing  apparel 


23 

At  Mr.  Boudrean's  in  Lafayette,  they  robbed  the  gentleman,  who 
was  intirm  and  confined  to  his  bed,  of  every  thing  in  the  house  and  on 
the  premises,  taking  even  the  covering  on  which   the   invalid  was 

lying- 

At  Mr.  Delhon^me's,  in  St.  Martin,  the  lady  of  the  house  had  recent- 
ly died;  they  pillaged  the  eflFects  of  the  dead.  The  servants  of  th^ 
family  begged  them,  with  teai-s  jn  their  eyes,  to  leave  them  some  me- 
morial of  their  old  mistress,  but  they  were  inexorable. 

On  Petite- Anse  Island,  they  entered  the  house  of  Mr.  Hayos,  then 
in  the  ninetieth  year  of  his  age,  and  forcing  from  him  the  key  of  his 
iron  safe,  tliey  opened  and  robbed  it  of  all  the  papers  it  contained. — 
Fortunately  his  money  liad  been  taken  from  it  the  evening  before. — 
Passing  from  this,  they  opened  all  his  trunks,  and  abstracted  their  con- 
tents of  clothing  and  other  articles;  then,  robbing  the  beds  of  their  cov- 
ering, they  departed,  after  best-uv/iug  on  the  aged  man  a  volley  of  abii- 
sive  epithets. 

At  Mr.  Antoijie  Goulas',  in  St.  Mary,  they  not  qaly  stripped  the 
family  of  all  their  wearing  apparel,  even  the  infant's  clothing  and  all 
the  bedding,  but  they  presented  their  pistols  to  Mrs.  Goulas'  head, 
threatening  to  shoot  her  if  she  did  not  reveal  the  hiding  place  of  her 
money.  Afterwards  another  squad  came  along,  and  leveling  their  guns 
on  Mr.  Goulas,  demanded  bis  money. 

At  Mr.  Sandoz's,  near  St.  Martinsville,  while  plundering  the  planta- 
tion, they  assaulted  Mr.  Sandoz.  and  tore  his  watch  from  his  pocket. 
They  afterwards  came  in  the  night,  and  first  arresting  the  gentleman 
in  the  house,  demanded  his  money.  On  being  answered  that  he  had 
none,  they  told  him  the}'  would  search,  and  if  any  was  found  they 
would  shoot  him.  The  tone  and  manner  of  tlie  menace  assured  him 
that  it  was  no  idle  threat;  but  he  answered,  "You  may  search,  and  I 
will  abide  the  consequences."  They  dug  under  the  floor  of  a  base- 
ment room,  but  met  with  no  success.  While  they  were  thus  engaged 
the  lady  of  the  hou€e  came  in;  and  they  immediately  placed  their  cock- 
ed pistols  to  her  head,  demanding  that  she  should  discover  to  them  the 
place  where  her  liusbani's  money  was  buried.  She  stood  the  ordeal  as 
firmly  as  her  husband,  and  the  ruffians  were  foiled. 

At  Mr.  Kemper's,  in  Cypres-mort,  after  robbing  the  house  of  every 
object  of  value,  they  took  from  the  persons  of  the  ladies  their  breast- 
pins and  rings. 

At  Mr.  Alexander  Vilmeau's,  in  Fausse  Pointe,  they  not  only  robbed 
him  of  a  large  sum  of  money,  but  plundered  him  of  everything  he  pos- 
sessed. While  the  party  were  pillaging  the  house  he  heard  his  wife 
loudly  crying  for  help.  Running  to  her  assistance,  he  f 'Und  several 
ruffians  scuffling  with  her;  one  had  wrenched  a  ring  from  her  fing-er, 
after  biting  it  so  severely  that  she  suffered  many  weeks  from  the  effects; 
another  had  snatched  her  ear-pendants,  tearing  away  the  end  of  one 
ear.  While  attempting  to  rescue  her,  Mr.  Vilmeau  was  shot  at  twice, 
and  grazed  by  the  bullets.    On  leaving  the   premises  t^i^  ruffians  fired 


84 

several  shots  from  the  gate,  at  the  house,  amoug  the  femily,  bat  the- 
balls  not  taking  effect,  they  were  spared  from  further  harm. 

At  Mr.  Dasincourt  Borel's,  near  New  Iberia,  they  pillaged  his  house, 
taking  from  it  every  article,  his  own  and  his  children's  weai'ing  appar-. 
el,  all  his  blankets  and  bed-covering,  leaving  him.  completBly  stripped; 
and,  on  going  away,  they  took  his  only  horse.     Mr.  Bore!  went  to  Gen. 
Banks,  who  was  then  on  the  Olivier  Estate,  aud  applied  for  his  horse. 
"It  is  the  only  means  of  support  I  have  left  me,"  said  he,  "and  if  I  do, 
Bot  get  it,  I  cannot   suppoi  t  my  family.     My   children   will  starve." 
Gen.  Banks    replied:  "The  horse   is  no  more   your  property    than  the 
rest.     Louisiana  is  mine.     I  iHteud  to  take  everything."     "But  I  have 
a  right   to  be  protected,"   answered  Borel,   "I   have  taken  the   oath." 
"When   you  shoulder  your  musket,"  retorted   the  General,  "you  may 
receive  further  protection."     The  poor  mq,n   went  back  sorrowing  to 
his  destitute  children.     He  had  accumulated  the  little  sum  of  five  hun- 
dred dollars  in  specie,  which  he  had  hidden;  it  was  all   he  had  left. — 
He  may  probably  have  made  this  remark,    for  the  news  soon  reached 
the  Federal  camp.     A  day  or  two  after  the  interview  with  Gen.  Banks, 
an  officer  rode  up  to  his  door  and  commenced  a  sympathizing  conver- 
sation with  him.     He  expressed  great  regret  for  the  loss  Mr.  Borel  had 
sustained,  and  great  indignation  at  the  perpetrators   of  the  outrag  e. — ■■■ 
Taking  his  departure,  he  rode  down  the  lane,  and  meeting  a  negro,  be- 
gan to  question  him  about  Borel's  money.     "If  you  can  find  out  where 
it  is  hidden,"  said   he,  "I'll  manage  the  business  and  share  with  you." 
The  negro  promised,    but  immediately  informed   Borel.     That  night, 
lour  men  came  to  his  house  at  a  late  hour,    and  arrested  him,  as  they 
said,  to  take  him  to  the  Provost  Marshal  at  New  Iberia.     Getting  him, 
to  the  bottom  of  the  lane,  a  pistol  was  put  to  his  head,  and  he  was  told 
that  if  he  did  not  at  once  reveal  where  he  had  hidden  his  five  hundred 
dollars,  he  would  be  instantly  shot.     "I  know,"  said  Borel,  "you  are 
capable  of  everything.     You  have  taken   the  last  morsel  from  my  chil- 
dren's mouths.     Yqu  would  kill  me  as  remorselessly.     Let  us  go  backj 
you  shall  have  the  money."     They  went  back;  and  Borel  delivered  to 
them  his  last  dollar — his  last  means  of  supporting  his  children. 

At  Mr.  Cesair  Deblanc's,  on  the  Bayou  Petite  Anse,  they  found  the 
proprietor  and  his  wife,  an  aged  couple  whose  gi'ey  haiirs  should  have 
commanded  respect,  if  ^eir  feeble  condition  had  not  inspired  pity. 
They  had  money ;  and  ia  the  pursuit  of  such  spoil,  the  Federal  sol- 
diers neither  regarded  age,  nor  condition,  nor  infirmity,  nor  any  of  the 
obligations  which  bind  man  to  man  in  civilized  society.  A  large  party 
surrounded  the  house ;  and  employing  every  means  that  ingenuity  could 
devise  to  inspire  terror,  drew  from  the  aged  couple  their  hoarded  wealth, 
But  in  the  conflict,  the  venerable  lady  succumbed.  By  her  anxious 
and  sorrow-stricken  servants  she  was  carried  to  the  bed,  from  which 
she  never  arose. 

At  Mr.  David  Berwick's,  on  the  Bayou  Salee,  the  residence  of  another 
gentleman  far  stricken  in  years,  the  representative  of  the  family  which 


25 

gives  its  name  to  Berwick's  Bay,  occurred  another  scene,  which,  if  it 
was  not  so  fatal  in  its  consequences,  exceeded  the  one  just  mentioned, 
in  atrocity  of  design.  This  gentleman  was  aroused  at  a  late  hour  in 
the  night,  by  the  noise  of  crushing  blows  upon  his  door,  which  brought 
him,  hastily  appareled  to  answer  the  rude  summons.  He  was  m?t  by 
a  party  of  cavalry  from  the  adjacent  camp,  whose  horses  wei*e  held  in 
the  yard.  They  demanded  his  money — used  threats  to,  extort  it — and 
then  resorted  tq  more  potent  weapons.  A  pisto.1  presented  to  his  breast 
was  knocked  down,  when  in  the  act  of  being  fired.  Another,  raised 
over  his  head  to  strike,  was  turned  aside  by  one  who  suggested  a  better 
expedient.  Going  to  his  horse,  he  returned  with  a  lariat,  which  he 
skilfully  tied  in  a  noose,  as  he  traversed  the  yard.  The  noose  was  at 
once,  and  without  further  parley,  put  over  Mr.  Berwick's  head,  the  end 
of  the  rope  drawn  around  a  column  of  the  gallery,  and  then  pulled 
tight.  In  a  moment  it  was  loosened,  and  the  demand  reiterated.  While 
the  old  gentleman  was  recovering  his  faculties,  atid  before  he  could  an- 
swer, the  rope  was  again  drawn  tight — this  time  bringing  him  to  the 
verge  of  suffocation.  The  ingenuity  that  was  exercised  in  guagiug  the 
extent  of  Buffocation,  as  well  as  in  applying  the  means,  betrayed  a 
practiced  baud ;  the  success  which  followed  was  no  doubt  as  nicely 
calculated  from  the  effects  observed  on  previous  experiments.  'J'hey 
drew  from  their  victim  about  six  thousand  dollars,  and  then  left  him 
both  tortured  in  body,  and  a  prey  to  serious  apprehensions.  That  night 
the  road  was  full  of  inebriated  troopers  riding  furiously,  and  robbing 
every  one  by  the  way.  Though  they  did  not  again  attack  Mr.  Ber- 
wick, the  fear  of  such  an  event  impelled  him  to  abandon  his  house,  and 
take  refuge  in  an  out-building.  Before  morning,  an  officer  penetrated 
his  hiding  place,  who  said  he  was  seeking  his  men ;  but,  from  the  at- 
tendant circumstances,  was  doubtless  an  a;ccessory  seeking  his  princi- 
pals in  crime. 

Mr.  Narcisse  Thibodeau,  at  Brongh's  bridge,  near  four-score  years 
of  age,  was  taken  from  his  house  by  Federal  soldiers  accompanied  by 
negroes,  and  beaten  with  sticks,  until  he  confessed  where  his  treasures 
were  hidden.  They  took  from  him  many  thousand  dollars  in  gold ;  but 
not  satisfied  with  this,  or  incited  by  their  unusual  success,  they  pur- 
sued their  robberies  from  house  to  house.  Some  citizens,  gathering 
courage  from  the  magnitude  of  the  danger,  united  in  pursuit  of  the 
marauders.  They  found  them  at  Grande  Pointe,  in  the  act  of  laying 
violent  hands  on  an  aged  lady — Mrs.  Guidry, — to  compel  her  to  dis- 
gorge her  money.  Arresting  thfim  here,  they  returned,  and  on  their 
way  home  were  themselves  robbed  of  their  prisoners,  and  the  money 
they  had  recovered,  lay  a  body  of  Federal  troops  they  met  on  the 
road. 

But  it  is  unnecessary  to  multiply  these  sickening  details.  Nothing 
was  too  little,  nothing  too  great,  nothing  too  sacred,  to  stay  the  Fed- 
eral hand.  While  robbing  the  rich  and  tho  provident,  it  pillaged  the 
poor,  cutting,  as  we  have  seen,  from  their  looms,  the  cloth  woven  by 


26 

their  hands.  But  its  rapacity  was  not  satiated  upon  the  living ;  it 
fell  even  upon  the  dead.  The  men  who  brutally  invaded  the  domestic 
sanctuary,  did  not  scruple  to  desecrate  the  ashes  of  the  departed.  At  ' 
Brashear  city  reposed  the  remains  of  the  late  Dr.  Brashear,  long  distin- 
guished in  the  councils  of  his  adopted  State,  the  cherished  associate  of 
great  men,  the  friend  and  countryman  of  Henry  Clay.  The  sacri- 
legious invaders,  with  the  instincts  of  the  hyena,  ravished  his  tomb, 
and  appropriated  to  their  own  use,  and  carried  ofi',  enclosing  their  owu 
dead,  the  metallic  coffin  which  had  contained  his  mortal  remains. 

Gen.  Bank's  policy  embraced  the  use  of  auxiliaries,  when  the  harvest 
was  not  too  great  for  his  own  reapers,  as  was  exemplified  at  Opelousas, 
On  the  western  confines  of  St.  Landry  and  Lafayette,  Avhere  the  ex- 
tended prairies  are  fringed  by  the  pine  forests,  there  are  but  few  culti- 
vated fields.     The  occasional  huts  of  the  herdsmen  only,  as  in  the 
wilds  of  Australia,  for  many  miles  are  here  sparsely  scattered  around. 
For  more  than  half  a  century,  this  country  has  also  been  the  refuga  of 
the  idle  and  the  depraved,  who  have  avoided  the  haunts  of  civilization, 
to  enjoy  in  solitude  the  pursuits  which  society  rejects.     Subsisting  upou 
the  cattle  belonging  to  more  industrious  proprietors,  they  have  never 
wished"  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  own  industry.     So  long  as  their  dep- 
redations were  confined  to  the  herds  on  the  prairies,  but  few  were  in- 
terested in  suppressing  them.     Some  attempts  it  is  true,  had  been  made  ; 
but  the  difficulty  of  detection  and  the  consequent  immunity  from  pun- 
ishment, seemed  only  to  confirm  them  in  their  incorrigible  habits. 
With  the  same  instincts  that  lead  the  vultures  to  gather  around  the 
carcass,   these  men  flocked  to  Gen.  Banks  at  Opelousas.     They  were 
armed  at  once,  and  sent  ostensibly  to  gather  in  the  stock ;  but,  seeming 
intuitively  to  apprehend  the  full  design  of  the  Federal  commander,  they 
commenced  plundering  the  houses  of  the  citizens,  who  repaired  to  head 
quarters  in  crowds  to  enter  their  complaints.     In  the  temporary  ab- 
sence of  Gen.  Banks  on  a  visit  to  New  Orleans,  Gen.  Emory  was  theu 
in  command  of  the  army.     With  the  promptness  of  a  soldier  trained  to 
the  duties  of  his  profession,  he  undertook  to  remedy  the  evil.     He  ar- 
rested the  marauders  within  reach,  and  issued  the  following  procla- 
mation : 

Head  Quarters  United  States  Forces,  ) 
Qpelousas,  April  27,  1863.^  ) 
It  having  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  General  temporarily  in  com- 
mand of  the  United  States  Forces,  that  unauthorized  persons  are  tem- 
porarily banded  together,  and  committing  plunder  and  outrage  on  the 
peaceful  inhabitants  of  this  country,  it  is  hereby  ordered  and  declared 
to  be  without  the  authority  of  the  United  States,  and  all  the  United 
States  troops  are  commanded  to  shoot  down  at  sight,  and  disperse,  all 
such  bands  of  robbers  and  thieves. 

(Signed)  WM.  H.  EMORY, 

.By  the  General  Cbm'd'g.,  Brig.  Gen.  Com'd'g. 

(Signed)  Rich'd  B.  Irwin,  A.  A,  G. 


27 

Gen.  Banks  on  his  return  from  New  Orleans,  disavowed  the  order,  aad 
annulled  it,  by  reinstating  the  robbers,  furnishing  them  again  with  arms 
and  ammunition,  and  sending  them  forth  t'»  plunder  and  destroy.  The 
creatures,  as  cowardly  as  they  were  depraved,  hesitated  in  the  perform- 
antfe  of  their  task.  Halting  on  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  they  sent 
back  for  succor ;  and  the  41st  Massachusetts  regiment  Avas  mounted, 
and  sent  out  to  guard  them  against  the  outraged  citizens.  Thus  was 
Inaugurated  and  organized  that  baud  of  "  jayhawkers  "  who  have  since 
become  such  a  pest  to  the  country.  In  the  very  midst  of  the  depreda- 
tions of  these  armed  marauders,  and  the  daily  accumulating  spoils  plun- 
dered by  his  own  orders  from  unoffending  citizens.  Gen.  Banks,  with 
characteristic  duplicity,  issued  a  proclamation  reflecting  upon  plunder- 
ers, and  inhibiting  conduct  derogatory  to  the  honor  (!)  of  his  army. 

IV.  The  town  of  St  Martinsville  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
T6che,  which,  at  its  narrow  point,  is  but  a  stone's  throw  from  hank  to 
bank.     Its  streets  intersect  at  right  angles,  those  fronting  the  stream 
running  to  the  water's  edge  perpendicularly.     For  some  time  after  tha 
Federal  army  had  fallen  back  to  New  Iberia,  this  town  occupied,  in  the 
bend  of  the  bayou,  a  neutral  territory  between  the  Confederate  and  Fed- 
eral lines.     The  pickets  of  either  party  sometimes  entered  the  town,  as, 
by  tacit  consent,  the  neutrality  of  the  position  was  recognized.     Tho 
citizens,  unmolested,  pursued  their  ordinary  avocations ;  and  on  the 
Sabbath,  gathered,  as  usual,  at  tho  church.     According  to  the  customs 
of  the  Catholic  towns  of  Europe,  which  they  inherited  from  their  an- 
cestors, after  church  services  they  met  in  groups  upon  the  streets  to  in- 
dulge in  friendly  conversation,  or  to  interchange  social  civilities.     On 
one  of  these  occasions,  a  bright,  joyous  Sunday  morning  had  invited 
unusual  numbers  to  the  open  air  of  the  streets.     In  the  midst  of  their 
friendly  greetings,  they  observed  a  Federal  regiment  filing  up  on  the 
Opposite  bank,  which,  being  no  unusual  occurrence,  attracted  but  little 
attention.     The  column  advancing,  covered  the  principal  streets;   when, 
suddenly  facing  to  the  front,  it  enfiladed  them  with  volleys  of  musketry. 
The  scene  which  ensued  baffles  description.     An  instinctive  impulse 
directed  the  feet  of  every  one  to  the  nearest  shelter.     Families  thus  be- 
came separated,  and  soon  the  shrieks  of  mothers,  the  cries  of  children, 
the  frantic  exclamations  of  husbands  and  fathers,  all  a  prey  to  the  most 
agonizing  apprehensions,  rent  the  air.     After  the  volleys  ceased,  the 
•treets  were  filled  with  men,  women  and  children,  seeking  their  lost 
loved  ones.     Fortunately,  with  one  exception,  all  were  found.     As  if 
more  strikingly  to  indicate  the  peculiar  victims  of  Federal  persecution, 
the  bullets  of  the  regiment  took  effect  only  upon  a  man  of  koary  head 
and  tottering  step,  while  he  was  receiving  the  kindly  greetings  of  a 
passing  friend. 

Col.  Robison,  who  commanded  this  regiment,  bearing  the  name  of 
Louisiana,  unblushingly  avowed  the  act,  and  declared  that  he  would 
repeat  it  every  time  his  regiment  passed  the  rebel  town.  The  inhabi- 
tants Bent  an  expiess  to  Genqral  Greeii,  then  the  nearest  Oonfederat© 


28 

commander.  He  immediately  sent  notice,  under  a  flag  of  truce,  to  the 
General  commanding  at  New  Iberia,  that  if  the  act  was  repeated,  be 
"would  retaliate  on  the  prisoners  he  held.  The  act  was  not  repeated. ; 
but  the  conduct  of  the  Colonel  passed  without  censure. 

V.  In  the  early  days  of  the  French  Revolution,  when,  in  the  fervor 
of  new  ideas  the  altars  of  God  were  thrown  down,  and  the  reason  of 
man  enthroned,  the  churches  of  Franco  were  devoted  to  base  uses ,  but 
the  sacrilege  has  justly  received  the  reprobation  of  mankind;  and 
among  nations,  whether  Christian  or  Infidel,  that  recognize  the  suprem- 
acy of  an  overruling  God,  the  edifices  consecrated  to  His  service  are 
universally  tespected.  An  exception  was  found  in  the  Federal  army. 
The  Catholic  church  at  Opelousas,  after  having  its  enclosures  torn 
down  and  destroyed,  was  saved  from  further  desecration  by  the  Irish 
Catholics  in  the  enemj  's  ranks,  who  rose  in  mutiny  against  the  sacri- 
lege; while  the  Protestants  of  that  army  permitted,  without  murmur 
or  protest,  the  desecrating  hand  of  Massachusetts  to  make  of  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Church  a  den  of  infamy.  They  stole  the  sacred  ves- 
sels from  the  Catholic  Church  at  New  Iberia,  and  danced  in  the  robes 
of  the  priest  who  served  at  its  altar.  They  struck  with  the  flats  of 
their  sabres,  and  kicked  the  venerable  priest  who  ministered  at  the  altar 
of  the  Church  of  St.  Martinsville,  while  his  fingei-s  were  j^et  moist 
from  the  sacred  symbols  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  and  they 
violently  took  away  the  humble  conveyance  which  carried  him  to  the 
bedsides  of  his  parishioners,  to  administer  the  consolations  of  religion. 
They  ravished  from  the  Methodist  Church  at  Franklin  the  chairs,  the 
pews,  the  chancel,  the  lamps  and  the  chandelier,  to  furnish  a  theater 
in  a  billiard  saloon,  where  ribald  farces  might  be  represented.  But 
further,  they  shocked  the  sensibilities  of  the  humaji  race,  which  lead 
even  the  savage  to  approach  with  awe  the  graves  of  the  dead.  They 
broke  down  and  burned  for  fuel  the  enclosure  around  the  cemetery  at 
Opelousas ;  they  used-  the  materials  of  the  tombs  and  monuments  at 
New  Iberia  for  chimneys  and  hearthstones  ;  they  picketed  their  horses 
among  the  graves,  and  spread  their  forage  upon  the  tombs  in  the  ceme- 
tery at  Franklin.  In  the  vain  search  of  treasure,  they  threw  out  the 
freshly  buried  or  mouldering  remains  of  the  dead.  They  ransacked 
family  vaults  under  the  eye  of  the  family,  breaking  and  shattering  the 
coffins  they  enclosed ;  and  so  often  were  these  revolting  scenes  en- 
acted, that  some  citizens  brought,  as  a  last  refuge,  the  bones  of  their 
ancestors  under  the  sheltering  roof  of  their  dw;ellings. 

VI.  In  the  parish  of  Lafayette  resided  Basil  C.  Crow,  Esq.,  who, 
in  former  years,  was  distinguished  as  one  of  the  prominent  men  of 
Opelousas  and  Attakapas.  Bred  to  the  bar,  he  was  engaged,  in  the 
vigor  of  manhood,  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profession  ;  but  as  his 
sons  and  daughters  grew  up,  he  retired  to  his  estate  on  the  banks  of 
the  Vermilion,  and  devoted  the  energies  of  a  robust  age  to  the  cares  of 
a  large  domestic  establishment,  and  to  settling  them  around  him.  One 
by  OTif.  they  had  loft  thp  patfirnal  roof,  until,  either  on  neighboring  es- 


29 

tates,  or  in  the  adjacent  village,  they  had  separate  estSCblishments, 
with  a  new  generation  of  children  growing  up  around  them.  Under- 
standing, on  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  that  the  line  of  the  Vermilion 
would  be  defended,  which  would  expose  their  dwellings  to  the  fire  of 
t'he  opposing  forces,  these  families,  with  loaded  wagons  and  carriages, 
hurriedly  started  for  a  place  eight  miles  distant,  to  await  the  result  of 
the  anticipated  conflict.  Learning,  presently,  that  the  Confederate 
forces  had  retreated  without  giving  battle,  and  that  the  Federalists 
had  crossed  the  Vermiliou,  they  set  about  returning  to  reoccupy  their 
homes.  Approaching  the  village  of  Vermllionville,  they  were  met  by 
a  New  York  regiment  that  had  come  out  in  line  of  battle  to  meet  them. 
Advancing  at  a  charge,  its  wings  speedily  enveloped  the  train,  and 
the  soldiers,  as  exultant  as  if  they  had  captured  an  opposing  foi'ce, 
fired  guns  over  the  carriages,  and  subjected  the  inmates  to  their  coarse 
jests  and  ridicule.  Leading  the  train  in  triumph  to  the  village,  they 
sent  the  ladies  and  children  to  their  empty  dwellings,  without  permit- 
ting them  to  retain  either  food,  raiment  or  bedding;  and  confining  the 
gentlemen  in  jail,  they  ordered  the  earriages  and  wagons  containing  the 
personal  and  household  effects  to  Opelousas,  twenty-five  miles  above. 
The  gentlemen  were  soon  sent  after,  to  report,  under  the  charge  of  an 
officer,  to  the  "Military  Governor,"  then  engaged  in  "collecting"  at 
Opelousas.  While  these  families  wore  at  home,  suffering  in  the  depri- 
vation of  the  most  necessary  articles,  they  were  kept  here  many  days. 
At  length,  through  the  intercession  of  an  officer,  a  written  order  was 
obtained  to  release  them.  As  they  were  leaving  the  "Governor's"  office, 
he  stopped  them.  "By  the  by,"  said  he>  "there  is  some  silver  plate 
among  those  things  ;  this  must  be  Confiscated.  Come  back  here  to- 
morrow morning  at  W  o'clock  ;"  and  he  turned  aside  to  other  business. 
The  gentlemen  left,  with  the  written  order  in  possession,  which  they 
were  not  slow  to  render  available.  Before  ten  o'clock  the  next  morn- 
ing they  with  their  efi"ects,  including  the  silver  plate,  worth  several 
thousand  dollars,  were  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Military  Gov- 
ernor, and  out  of  the  reach  of  his  collectors. 

While  the  Federal  army  was  passing  by  the  Cote  Gelee,  in  the  dis- 
array we  have  described,  some  soldiers  in  the  rear  of  a  division,  in 
quarreling  over  their  spoils,  killed  one  of  their  number,  and  leaving  the 
body  by  the  wayside,  rejoined  their  command.  As  the  next  division 
passed  the  body  was  discovered,  and  the  officer  in  command  sent  to  the 
nearest  house  and  caused  to  be  arrested  its  only  inmate,  a  man  well 
stricken  in  years,  and  who  did  not  understand  the  language  of  his  cap- 
tors. Without  investigation,  enquiry  or  ceremony,  he  was  dragged  to 
the  corpse  and  made  to  kneel  before  it.  A  firing  party  was  drawn  up 
in  front,  and  as  the  word  was  about  being  given  to  fire,  it  was  arrested 
by  the  arrival  of  a  burying  party  from  the  division  in  advance,  who 
had  been  sent  to  inter  the  body.  The  old  man,  thus  rescued  from  the 
jaws  of  death,  was  released  and  with  menacing  gesture*  ordered  back 
(o  his  home. 


30 

As  the  army  marclied  up  the  Bayou  Bceuf.  a  Capt.  Dwight,  foUoiring  in 
the  rear,  was  shot  from  the  opposite  bank  of  the  bayou  by  som6  Confeder- 
ate scouts.     Under  the  circumstances,  as  they  have  been  related  to  tis,  the 
^ct  was  according  to  the  usages  of  war.     But  whether  it  was  or  not,  it 
was  done  by  soldiers  of  the  regular  army  acting  in   their  line  of  deity  ; 
and  this  fact  was  made   apparent  to   the  Federal  general  commanding. 
Yet,  notwithstanding,  to  retaliate  he  caused  to  be  arrested  the  next  day 
all  the  male  citizens  dwelling  on   the  bayou  over  a  line  of  forty  miles. 
Sixteen,  from  St.  Landry,  grandfathers,  fathers  and   sons,  from   early 
youth  to  four-score,  respectable  citizens,   accustomed    to  the   comforts 
and  luxuries  of  life,  were  forced  along  twenty-eight  miles  of  road,  and 
guarded  at  night  in  au  open   enclosure  on    a    dung -heap.     The  next 
morning,  part  of  the  way   on   foot,  part  of  the    way  in  open  wagons 
without  seats,  they  were  carried  back  forty  miles,  to  Washington.     On, 
the  way,  none  were  permitted  to  stop    at  their  homes,  to  bid  farewell, 
or  explain  their  position  to   their  families;,  and  but  one  was  released, 
Mr.  Jesse  Audrus,   aged  eighty  years,   the   head  of  a   numerous  and 
respectable  family,  after  being   dragged    on   foot    over    fifteen    miles, 
hauled  in  a  wagen  forty,  and  confined  and  guarded  as  above  stated,  all 
within  the  space  of  thirty  hours,  was  permitted  to  return  home.     The 
■others  were  taken  the  next  day   to   Opelousas  and  confined  four  days 
in  the  common  jail,  from  which   felons  had  just  been  loosed  upon  the 
community.     They  were  then  brought  out,  formed  in  line,  and  marched 
between  lines  of  soldiers  to  Port  Barre  ;  from  thence  they  were  shipped 
to  Brashear  City,  and  on  the  passage  had  only   the  cotton  bales  with 
which  the   boat  was    laden  to    sleep   upon.     At  Brashear  they  were 
placed  on  the  railroad,  in  a  box  car  without  seats,  which  had  last  car- 
ried stone  coal,  and  were  thus  transported  to  Algiers.     Here  they  were 
imprisoned  in  a  deserted  iron  foundry  for  three  weeks  and  then  sent 
across  the  river  to  New  Orleans.     Here   they  remained  confined  two 
months,  after  which   the  survivors  were  released  to   make  their  way 
home  as  well  as  they  could.     The  trials  of  the  march  had  brought  Mr. 
James  Hicks,  an  old  man,  to  the  verge  of  the  grave,  ahd  he  remained 
in  the  hospital  during  the  time   the  others  were  confined.     Two  died 
in  prison:  Mr.  Hiram   G.Roberts,  aged  46  years,  and  Mr.  Solomon 
Link,  aged  fifty.     It  is  a  simple  story.     We  have  read  before  of  a  simi- 
lar fate  befalling  a  party    of  men — they  were  shipWl-ecked  mariners 
thrown  upon  a  barbarous  coast. 

When  Gen.  Burbridge  was  repulsed  in  au  action  at  the  Bayou 
Bourbeux,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Landry,  and  thrown  baCk  to  New  Ibe- 
ria, he,  by  the  common  impulse  of  ignoble  souls,  retaliated  his  shame- 
ful disaster  on  the  defenceless  citizens  of  that  place.  He  compelled 
the  entire  male  population,  old  and  young,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
to  work  fifteen  days  on  his  line  of  ditches,  and  he  arrested  and  held 
under  guard  young  and  delicate  ladies,  who  had  preferred  not  to  walk 
under  his  disgraced  brigade  flag. 

Before  the  first  invasion   ©f  Gen.  Banks,  a  raid  was   made  ob  the 


31 

Hentrop  estate,  on  the  lower  Atchafalaya,  by  a  portion  of  the  21st  Ih- 
diana  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Col.  McMillan.  The  command 
was  broug-ht  np  by  the  gunboat  Estrella.  The  men  on  landing  com- 
mitted the  customary  depredations,  conducted  in  the  usuil  licentious 
manner.  Mr.  Rentrop  was  then  lying  very  ill,  and  his  wife,  leaving 
the  bedside  of  her  husband,  sought  the  officer  in  command  and  implored 
him  with  pathetic  eloquence  to  do  his  untimely  work  as  quietly  as  pos- 
sible, as  she  felt  ass,ured  that  the  least  excitement  would  prove  injurious,, 
if  not  fatal  to  the  invalid.  Her  supplications  were  treated  with  con- 
tempt. The  depredations  went  on  with  increased  boisterousness.  The 
men  fired  their  guns  among  the  poultry  and  flocks,  under  the  window 
of  the  dying  man.  They  even  entered  his  room,  and  taunted  and 
jeered  him  at  the  very  portals  of  death.  After  continuing  this  inhu- 
man conduct  all  the  day,  at  night-fall  they  departed.  Before  the  morn- 
ing dawned  the  suflPering  invalid,  overcome  by  the  excitement,  had 
breathed  his  last.  The  next  morning  the  Estr  dla  brought  back  the 
<lepredators  of  the  preceding  day.  The  family  were  gathered  around 
the  corpse  of  the  husband  and  father.  Their  mournful  wailing  issued 
from  every  opening  of  the  dwelling  ;  but  disregarding  these  sounds  of 
grief,  the  soldiers  with  rude  and  boisterous  mirth  rioted  on  the  luxu- 
ries of  the  orange  groves  and  indulged  in  unrestrained  license  on  the 
premises.  In  the  very  midst  of  these  discordant  sounds  of  affliction 
and  ill-timed  mirth,  Lieut.  Harwick  entered  the  house,  arrested  the 
two  sons  of  the  deceased  while  kneeling  before  the  body  of  their  mur- 
dered father,  and  dragged  them  away  amidst  the  shrieks  of  their  sis- 
ters and  the  heart-broken  groans  of  their  agonized  mother.  The  boat 
returned  again  the  next  day,  and  the  men,  lauding,  renewed  the  bois- 
terous scenes  of  the  previous  days.  Nor  was  this  all :  persecuted  in 
the  body,  his  bones  were  not  permitted  to  remain  quiet  in  the  tomb. 
They  were  disturbed  by  other  robbers  from  the  same  army,  and  as 
they  were  not  permitted  to  rest  in  peace  in  the  home  allotted  to  the 
dead,  the  family  were  compelled  to  bring  them  back  to  the  home  of  the 
living.  The  two  boys  who  were  so  rudely  arrested  while  weeping  over 
their  father's  remains — one  a  mere  youth,  and  the  other  discharged  for 
disability  from  the  army — were  not  soldiers  then :  they  are  soldierf? 
now. 

But  the  indulgence  of  private  animosities  was  undoubtedly  a  prolific 
source  of  arbitratry  arrests.  The  Federal  array  was  followed  by 
vicious  and  lawless  men  of  the  country,  who  had  not  the  principles  to 
attach  them  to  any  government.  As  like  bodies  gravitate  towards 
each  other,  they  have  been  drawn  to  the  Federal  ranks,  and  with  the 
zeal  of  converts  and  *he  malignity  of  their  kind  they  directed  the  Fed- 
eral hand  against  every  citizen  whose  prominence  excited  their  ap- 
prehension, or  who  had  been  instrumental  in  restraining  their  vicious 
conduct. 

The  house  of  Dr.  Francis  Mudd,  a  practicing  physician  of  Vermil- 
lonville,  was  surro\mded  one  evening  by  Federal  soldiers,  under  Oapi, 


32 

Martin,  wko  conducted  the  affair  with  a  method  which  could  only  hare 
been  acquired  by  experience.     The   doctor   was  quietly  sitting,  con- 
versing with  his  wife,  on  the  gallery,  when  the  officer  approached  and 
announced  that  he  was  his  prisoner.     Startled  at  the  st<mmary  pra- 
ceeding;,  he  enquired  the  reasons,  or  what  might  be  the  charges  against 
him;  but  the  officer  could  only  show  thg  order  of  arrest,  which  came 
from  Gen.  Washburne,  and  which   was   couched  with   t^iat  military 
bieyity  not  calculated  to  assure  the  mind.     The  gentleman  begged  to 
be  p«rmitted  to  remain  at  home  that  night,  as  his  wife  would  be  alone, 
and  the  nex*^^  morning,  after  making  proper  provision  for  her  protection 
and  comfort,  he  would  report  in  person  at  the  general's  headquarters. 
The  officer  had  no  discretion  ;  he  could  only  wait  to  exanjine  his  pa- 
pers, and  for  this  purpose  he    demanded    his   keys.     The  search  being 
fruitlessly  made,  the  doctor  was  conducted  to  headquarters,  some  two 
miles  from  his  residence.     There  he  found  several  other  citizens,  who 
had  just  been  dragged  from  their  families  without  any  assigned  cause. 
Not  being  permitted  to  see  the   general,    they  were  given  what  was 
said  to  be  six  days  rations,  which  consisted  of  hard  crackers  and  black 
tea,  and  were  confined  and  strictly  guarded  in  a  neighboring  cooper's 
shop,  which  was  opei^  and  exposed  to  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 
Here,  among  deserters,  criminals  of  the  army  and  negroes,  besides  suf- 
fering from  the  discomforts  of  their  situation  and  the  nauseous  filth  of 
their  fellow  prisoners,  they  were  subject  constantly  to  the  vulgar  abuse 
of  the  guard,  and  of  those  whom  curiosity  attracted  to  the  place.     They 
applied  to  Capt.  Qorsuch,   the  Provost  Marshal,  for  the   charges  on 
which  they  wore  thus  ignominiously   confined.     He  replied   that  he 
knew  of  no  charges;  he  was  simply  acting  under  orders.     They  could 
get  no  satisfaction  here  or  elsewhere ;  but  at  length  after  thirteen  days 
confinement,  another  order,   signed  by  a  Major  Morgan,  an  officer  of 
Washburne's  staff,  came  for  their  release.     When  I)r.  Mudd  returned 
to  his  house  he  found,  what  others  similarly  situated  had  found,  that 
his  substance  had  been  made  way  with  or  destroyed.  • 

One  morning,  while  St.  Martinsville  was  occupying  the  neutral  po- 
sition we  have  described,  a  body  of  about  four  hundred  Federal  sol- 
diers, with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  drove  in  the  Cpnfederate  pickets 
above  that  town,  and  proceeded  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Olivier  Duclo- 
sel,  which  was  not  far  distant.  After  forcing  off  all  Ijiis  negroes,  who 
had  been  proof  against  the  seductions  of  the  Federal  missionaries,  and 
stripping  the  premises  of  everything,  not  excepting  the  clothing  of  the 
family,  they  took  Madam  Duclosel,  who  was  sixty  years  of  age  and 
affliicted  with  aneurism,  and  forcing  her  to  kneel  among  them,  they 
gratified  their  fiendish  rage  in  abusive  and  indecent  epithets,  and  dis- 
regarding the  blood  that  flowed  profusely  from  her  dilated  arteries, 
they  rocked  her  backward  and  forward,  pushed  Ijer  to  the  right  and 
left,  and  threw  her  down  and  raised  her  up,  until  exhausted  nature 
could  bear  no  mare,  and  she  sank  in  a  swoon.  Then  arresting  a^d 
cftrryipg  away  her  hasband^her  son  and  her   daughter,  they  left  her 


proatrEto  on  tlie  floor.  dom«  two  hours  after,  this  ag«()  ladj  n^«rr- 
ered  to  find  herself  alone,  smrounded  by  a  scene  of  desolation.  Her 
first  i  Eipulse  was  te  -fly  to  seek  her  family,  but  her  phyaicial  energws. 
being  overcome  "by  exhaustion,  she  fell  prostrate  in  the  yard,  whero 
she  was  afterwards  found  insensible  by  one  of  her  grand-cliildren. 
Her  husband,  Mr.  Duclosel,  was  aged,  gouty  and  obese.  He  had  not 
been  known  for  years  to  walk  a  hundred  paces  at  a  time  ;  yet  his  inhu- 
man persecutors  pushed  him  ou  foot,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  over 
atnite  of  muddy  road  to  St.  Jlartinsville,  where  in  mockery  of  his  suf- 
ferings they  made  him  staad  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  one  of  the 
streets. 

-Recently  a  raid  was  made  in  that  part  of  St.  Landry  which  stretches 
along  the  upper  Atchafalaya,  by  a  body  of  Fe  leral  troops  from  jlor- 
ganza.  A  party  of  s«ldier.s  from  this  body,  conducted  by  a  soi-ditarU 
Union  man  who  had  been  driven  from  the  country  for  his  crimes,  went 
at  midnight  to  the  house  of  Mr.  John  Lyons,  once  well  known  as  a 
popular  and  skillfisl  commander  of  steamboats  on  the  inland  waters  of 
this  district,  then  a  respectable  planter,  and  calling  him  out  from  his 
bed,  cruelly  murdered  him  on  the  threshold  of  his  own  door. 

The  citizens  of  every  town  and  neighborhood  were  subject  to  arrest, 
■confinement  and  release,  under  the  Yankee  sj'stem  of  lettres-de-cachet ; 
but  many  prisoners  were  dragged  to  New  Orleans,  and  languished  in 
prison  or  on  parol«  fer  m'^nths  without  any  assignable  cause. 

On  the  first  adv.ince  of  the  enemy,  the  Hon  Alexander  Mouton,  ex- 
Ooveraor  of  Louisiana,  while  quietly  occupying  a  pvivate  station,  was 
taketi  from  his  hoine.  sent  to  New  Orleans,  kwpt  six  months,  and  then 
released  as  abruptly  as  he  was  arrested.  Many  others  were  sent  there 
aft  the  same  time,  and  languished  for  months  in  close  confineraent. 
Subsequently  a  largo  p.umber  of  prisonei-s  fell  into  the  hands  of  Gen. 
Taylor,  on  the  Lafourch«  and  at  the  Bay,  and  a  correspondence  under 
a  flag  of  tiHce  ensued  between  the  Confederate  and  Federal  command- 
ers in  reft3renc€  to  them,  or  on  the  general  subject  of  the  exchange  and 
treatment  of  prisoners.  In  this  correspondence  there  were  expressions 
used  by  the  Federal  commander  which  led  Gen.  Taylor  to  infer  th  it  he 
iiad  entirely  changed  his  policy,  and  that  no  more  non-combattanta 
would  be  arrested  by  him.  Assuming  this  to  be  the  future  Federal 
policy  here,  h»  advised  those  gentlemen  who  were  preparing  to  fly 
from  their  homes  to  escape  Federal  persecution  to  remain  in  the  quiet 
pursuit  of  their  ordinary  avocations,  and  one  of  the  undersigned  com- 
missioners, who  was  not  then  in  the  military  service,  and  also  a  suf- 
ferer from  ill  health,  acted  upjn  the  advice.  He  was  arrested  and  sent 
to  New  Orleans.  On  his  way  thither  he  met,  in  an  unfurnished  guard 
house  without  even  a  bench  for  the  weary,  several  citizens  of  Lafayett«, 
who  had  been  arrested  by  Gen.  Ord,  at  the  instigation  of  a  tjnioa 
man,  a  worthless  fellow,  who  had  been  under  the  ban  of  the  law  for 
cnmes  not  political.  Your  commissioner  took  occasion  to  inform  Gen. 
Ord  tbai  ibe««  men  had  been  in  the  militia,  and  at  the  i\va»  tliay  were 


34 

pwteeding  as  charged  thay  were  actjang  tmder  bW  otflers,  ahd  that  he 
alone  was  responsible  for  the  act,  not  to  any  Federal  authority,  but  to. 
the  Governor  of  the  State.  They  wer^  liowevur  sent  down,  and  one  of 
them  at  least,  perhaps  more,  died  in  prison  in  New  Orleans.  At  this 
time  there  was  no  parish  in  the  district  but  had  its  representJitives, 
(arrested  under  similar  circumstances)  in  the  prisons  of  that  city — in- 
deed they  were  full  of  them. 

Soon  after,  a  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald  wqs  made  m-is- 
oner  at  Bourbeux,  and  the  pressing^  instances  of  the  proprietors  of 
that  journal  induced  Gen.  Banks  to  make  an  effort  for  his  release.  He 
aceprdingly  enclosed  the  Herald's  correspondence,  au  I  wrote  himself  to 
Gen.  Franklin,  from  whose  headquarters  flags  passed  bi'tween  the  bel- 
ligerents. Gen.  Banks  did  not  venture  to  sully  his  character  before 
his  enemies,  by  preferring  a  request  for  th i 3' person's  release,  in  tho 
ter.ms  of  his  commander's  letter  ;  ho  simply  forw;irded  it  with  the  ac- 
companying correspondence,  to  have  all  the  weight  to  which  it  was  en- 
titled. One  of  us  has  read  this  letter,  characteristie.  of  the  writer.  In 
it  Gen.  Banks  comments  on  thu  impropriety  ol  ynnking  pr'.wncrs  ofnon- 
combatants,  and  concludes  with  the  assertion  that  he  always  scrupu- 
lously avoided  such  practices!  On  the  receipt  of  this  extraoniiiiary 
communication,  and  without  requiring,  the  usual  parole,  Gen.  Taylor 
Bent  the  Herald  correspondent,  with  such  other  non-combatant  prison- 
ers as  he  held  in  possession,  to  the  enemy's  lines,  and  demanded  at  the 
same  time  the  retuvn  of  our  prisoners  held  in  New  Orleans.  It  having 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  your  commissioner,  then  a  prisoner,  that 
these  persons  had  arrived  in  the  city,  he,  fully  under  the  impression 
that  they  could  not  have  been  released  without  provisioa  made  for  the 
release  of  non-combatants  in  Federal  hands,  wrote  a  note  to  Gen. 
Banks,  which,  while  it  assumed  a  compact  between  the  belligv:-rents,  de- 
manded his  immediate  release.  Thfe  reply  of  Ge^i.  Banks,  through  his 
chief  of  staflF,  denied  the  ciimpact,  but  ended  by  saying  "that  Gen. 
Banks  had  concluded  to  permit  you  [himj  to  return  home  on  giving  a. 
parole  not  to  do  any  act  hostile  to  the  government  of  the  United  States 
tiatil  released  from  the  effect  of  the  parole  by  some  officer  of  the  United 
States  G)verument."  Considering  that  if  there  was  no  obligation  to 
release,  the  manner  of  imprisonment  only  would  be  changed  ;  and  if 
there  was  that  the  parole  would  have  no  binding  eftect,  either  in  con- 
science or  in  fact,  he  accepted  the  conditions,  and  was  immediafel/ 
sent  out  of  the  Federal  line^.  Messrs.  Voorhies,  O'Brian,  Broussard, 
and  perhaps  others,  were  not  released  until  nearly  eight  mt)nths  after. 
These  facts  require  no  comment,  and  we  pass  to  another  subject. 

VII.  In  a  country  abounding  with  shady  groves  overshadowing  a 
wnooth  sod  the  Federal  comrainders  selected  for  their  headquarter  en- 
campments the  smiling  parterres,  or  the  verdant  lawns,  taste- 
fully embellished,  and  spreading  out  in  front  of  the  private  dwellings. 
Female  modesty  was  often  shocked  at  the  iydelicate  exhibitions  of 
eaaop  life  immediately   in   view  of  their  private   apartments.     Half- 


35 


dressed  officers  and  their  indecent  menials  did  not  hesitate  in  lanffuaee 
and  manner  to  vio  ate  all  the  proprieties  due  to  the  inmates  of  tfe  do- 
mestic  circle.     Ff  their  conduct  only  ofFanded  delicacy  or  offered  incon- 
veTiience,  it  mi^-ht  h  xve  bean  tolerated,  as   in  consideration  of  ffreitef 
calamities  it  might  h^ve  passed  only  with  a  partial  notice.     Bat  lik^ 
othsr  Fe.l  n-al  outrages,  thts'tarried  AVith  it  material  destruWion,  bbdilt 
discomfort,  and  often   starv'ation  and    dt^ath.     We    have,   in  our  note 
book,  inaiiv  instances  \r'iere  opulent  fVimilies,  surrounded  by  luxuriant 
fields  and  g^rde)ls,  with  enclosures  fiUe.1  with  poultty,  flocks  and  fatted 
ox^in,  with  mio^i.^iiies  burstin^^  with  stores   of  provision  for  man  and" 
beast,  were  subjVcted  in'a  day  to  extreme  destitution,  and   who  were 
compelled  to  subsist  for  many  days  on  the  corn  snatched   from  under 
the  feet  of  the  horses,  or  on  the  scanty  provision  surreptitiously  takea 
by  faithful  servants  from  tho  lumrious.  tables  of  the  officers.  s 

A  banquet   was  one   day  provided,  in   the  diiiin^v  room  of   Madaiftt^J 
Olivier,  for  Ghu.  Banks  aud   his  staff,  who  feasted  on  the  lower  story* 
waited  on  by  the  servants  of  the  estate,  while  the  ladies  above   wer^i' 
suffering   for  the   neeftss^rios  of  life;  and  after  the  banquet  was  over-, 
as  if  in  raockei^y,  fli^  field  negroes  w;ere  called  in  t& consume  what  re^" 
mained.  "    '   '   '    "    '   '''  '''■■',  i^;...av.f  ..j  f,^^^^^  ^j 

Mrs.  Mc^err'a?,  \^m  herttiVfee'^dnghf'fiK;  "n^tliottt'  any  male  protec- 
tor, was  residing  on  her  plantation  near  Franklin.  Her  premises  "^ei^ 
occupied  for  a  camp;  tll'^  rooms  of  her  dwelling  were  taken  for  quarters; i" 
and  she,  with  her  three  dauglitbrs,  after  her  servants  had  been  forcedJ" 
away,  was  confined  to  the  occupancy  of  three  rooms.  She  had  secured^ 
some  poultry  in  an  upper  room  of  the  house;  every  fowl  was  taken-  het' 
provisions  were  consume^';  :»nd  she  saw  from  her  window,  not  only  the* 
last  outbuilding  on  her  place  destroyed,  but  her  last  milch  cow  shot  in* 
the  yard.  Surrounded  by  a  noisy,  vulgar;  profane  crowd,  slie  suffered* 
there,  for  days,  all  the  tortures  of  shocked  delicacy,  apprehension  and' 
want.  Wht^n  the  camp  was  removed  she  found  that  even  the  family' 
carriage  had  been  maliciously  taken  to  pieces,  and  the  necessarw  parta ' 
either  thrown  away  or  destroyed.  -  .        • 

Gen.  Durbridge  occupied  ♦he  enclosnrM^^  around  the  residence  of  thtf' 
Hon.  John  Moore,  in  New  Iberia,  and  flaunted  his  brgade  flag  over' 
the  entrance  gate.  He  was  not  satisfied  with  oecnpying  the  fcitchOTi* 
and  all  the  out-buildings,  tjms  depriving'the  family  of  the  convenien-' 
ces  of  the  household,  bathe  took  possession  of  the  lower  rooms  of  the" 
dwelling.  Mrs:  ^roore,  a  lady-  fivr  advanced  in  years,  belonging  to  a' 
family  disting-viiphed  ii;i  the  annals  of  the  nation,' accusto-med,  not  onlV' 
to  the  conveniences,  but  the  elegancies  of  life,  was^  driven,  with  the  Ift^;' 
dies  of  her  family,  to  the  upper  apartments,  where  she  was  subjected' 
to  every  privation.  Geri.  Franklin,  with  his  military  family,  arrivihg" 
sliortly  afterwards,  f^lHnto  possession  of  the  quarters.  His  presence',' 
however,  did/iot  araelir-rate  the  condition  of  the  family;  on  the  contra-' 
y.  his  .comrniiedocjupitioa  daily  rncreased  i{9  privation.^.  No  relief 
Waif  obtainedr-i\onfe  oflte^.,    Q90:.  FitciMixfsiyBi  notoa.Wtt>ask«d*-^' 


36 

Mrs.  Sfoore  sncenmbed  in  the  xnidgt  of  these  manifold  pri rat ionR.  Shr 
died — died,  imprisoned  in  her  own  dwelling,  deprived  of  the  comfort* 
she  would  have  bestowed  upon  the  humblest  of  her  servants;  and,  as  «t 
the  Rent-rops,  Federal  persecution  followed  her  to  the  grave;  her  tomb 
was  desecrated  to  furnish  brick  for  Federal  hearths. 

We  desire  to  do  justice  to  Gen.  Franklin.  Though  an  enemy.  Bis- 
character  and  former  associations  entitle  him  to  con.sideration,  "We  ■ 
Lave  reason  to  believe  that  he  fell  into  these  quarters,  as  he  would  have 
fallen  into  them  had  they  occupied  any  other  place,  without  enquiry >. 
and  without  being  aware  of  the  distress  his  occupancy  caused;-  and  w« 
think  his  sin  was  rather  one  of  omission  than  of  commission. 

Not  so  of  another  officer  of  the  old  U.  S.  Array.  When  Gen.  Weit- 
xel's  division  encamped  on  the  Rentrop  estate,  his  camp  extended  to* 
the  enclosures  of  the  d '.veiling.  Mrs.  Rentiop,  the  afflicted  lady  of  th©- 
mansion  whose  sufferings  on  another  occasion  we  have  noticed,  bein^ 
alone  with  five  other  ladies  of  the  family  solicited  the  General  to  OC' 
cupy  one  of  the  rooms,  or  at  least  to  encamp  near,  as  a  protection 
against  the  rude  intrusion  of  his  soldiers.  He  not  only  refused  this 
reasonable  request,  but  he  pitched  his  tent  at  the  lower  extremity  of 
his  camp,  as  if,  and  as  the  ladies  believe,  to  give  a  freer  scope  to  the  li- 
centiousness of  fiis  followers.  We  have  before  us  a  communication 
from  a  member  of  this  family,  which  would  make  a  chapter  of  itself- — 
a  chapter  of  inconceivable  atrocity.  Omitting  many  details,  we  give 
the  substance  in  the  language  of  the  lady  who  relates  them:  "As  he 
"must  have  expected,  and  as  he  no  doubt  wished,  the  men  immediately 
"commenced  depredations.  They  broke  into  the  sugar  house,  .and  help- 
*'ed  themselves  to  all  the  sugar  they  could  devour  or  carry  away;  they 
"drank  all  the  water  of  the  cistern;  they  shot  down  all  the  work  oxen, 
"and  killed  the  hogs  in  the  pen;  and  they  tore  up  the  fences  and  burn- 
*'ed  them  in  their  camp  fires.  Mrs.  R.  went  to  Gen.  Weitzel  and  begged 
*'for  a  guard.  He  sent  her  two  men  to  guard  the  house;  but  it  was  all 
"a  sham.  One  said  he  would  not  use  his  gun  to  prevent  what  his 
"words  would  not.  Some  chickens  had  been  saved,  to  be  used  only  for 
•'the  sick:  these  were  hastily  eecui-ed  in  a  room  of  the  dwelling.  While 
•'Mrs.  E.  was  absent,  her  daughter  and  another  young  lady  guarded  the 
"door;  anconscious  of- danger  they  felt  no  fear,  until  vile  oaths  and  ob- 
"scene  language  met  their  ears.  Crowds  had  approached,  and  it  would 
"have  been  evident  to  less  suspecting  ears  that  evil  was  intended. — 
"Ere  the  vile  purpose  was  carried  into  effect,  an  officer  came  with  or- 
"ders  to  search  the  house  for  rebel  uniforms.  This  officer  dispersed 
"the  mob,  reached  the  house,  and  was  satisfied  the  report  was  false.— 
"But  before  the  usual  time  for  retiring  another  parae,  followed  by  a  half 
"dozen  of  the  most  ragged  and  dirty  which  hang  around  an  army.— 
"They  proceeded  from  room  to  room,  peeping  into  this  and  into  that, 
"evidently  to  see  what  the  house  contained.  After  passing  a  sleepless 
"night,  at  early  dawn,  Mrs.  Rentrop  again  returned  to  Gen.  Weit?el  to 
"beg  for  «  more  efficient  guard.    Soou  the  black-smith's  shop  ww  di»- 


9^ 

'^coTflred  to  b«  In  flamas,  and  soldiers  prowling  abont  said  that  tbis  warn 
"to  be  the  fate  of  every  building  on  the  rebel  place.  The  plantatiou 
"bell  which  had  long  been  nnused,  now  pealed  forth  a  summons  long 
"and  loud.  One  would  have  supposed  this  to  be  a  signal  that  help 
"was  needed  to  extinguish  the  fire.  This,  however,  was  not  intended..  * 
"The  building  burned  to  the  ground  without  an  eflfort  to  eitiiiquisb- 
"the  flames.  It  was  a  signal  of  anotb^r  kind— -to  assemble  a  mob!— 
"Soldiers  collected  in  crowds  around  the  house.  The  ladies  becoming 
''alarmed,  closed  and  fastened  ererj  opening  of  the  dwelling.  Tlios& 
"alone  who  have  seen  a  mob  collecting,  can  form  an  idea  of  what  they 
"witnessed,  as  they  stood  tremulously  gazing  through  the  window 
"blinds.  Some  rushing  into  the  kitchen;  others  info  the  store  room, 
"breaking,  destroying,  or  carrying  away,  whatever  they  could  lay  their 
"hands  on;  while  hundreds  surrounded  the  house,  yelling,  cursing, 
"swearing,  and  making  most  fearful  threats,  as  they  tried  to  open  the 
"doors,  climbed  up  outside,  or  crept  underneath  the  floors.  The  ladies 
''within  knew  not  what  to  do.  Trembling  in  every  limb,  they  walked 
"from  room  to  room,  or  paused  to  beg  aid  of  the  only  source  of  help^ 
"the  God  of  Heaven!  The  mob  broke  open  the  door  of  the  room  in 
"which  were  the  chickens.  Tliey  cursed,  swore,  and  squabbled  for 
"them;  this  scene  might  have  be.-n  ludicrous  to  the  ladies  at  any  oth-- 
"er  time,  but  now  they  were  filled  with  horror  at  seeing  themselves  in- 
"the  power  of  beings  so  utterly  depraved.  They  had  hastily  secured' 
"the  door  between  the  robbers  and  themselves,  and  were  now  in  mo- 
'mentary  dread  of  that  being  broken.  Mrs.  Rentrop^g  sister,  being  in 
"terror  as  to  the  probable  fate  of  her  daughter  and  nieces,  determined 
"to  risk  herself  to  save  them.  She  bravely  pa.ssed  out  at  the  front 
"door,  which  was  quickly  closed  by  the  frightened  inmates,  and  walk- 
"ed  through  these  crowds  unmolested.  They  were  startled  by  the  sud- 
"den  appearance  of  a  lady  in  their  midst,  and  momentarily  awed  by  her 
"dignified  manner.  She  hurried  down  the  road  until  she  met  an  offic  r 
"on  horseback.  She  begged  him  to  fly  to  the  rescue  of  the  inn.ocent 
"females  shut  up  in  the  house.  He  listened  to  her  earnest  appeal,  and 
"God  obliged  him  to  grant  it.  He  rode  on  with  his  company  and 
"dispersed  the  mob.  Seeing  the  flames  bursting  forth,  between  the 
"wing  and  main  building,  he  cried,  'Your  house  is  on  fire.'  Yet  ho 
"made  no  effort  to  extinguish  it^he  did  not  even  order  the  sol:  iers  to 
"bring  water  from  the  bayou  for  that  purpose.  Fortunately  the  day 
"previous  the  ladies,  finding  that  all  the  water  of  the  cisterns  was  go. 
"ing.  had  filled  all  the  pitchers,  buckets  and  tubs  in  the  house;  and 
"now  with  their  own  hand*  they  brought  it-  out  and  extinguished  the 

After  the  family  were  thus  saved,  Mrs.  Rentrop  returned  with  a 
l^ard.  Her  daughter  lan  out  to  meet  her.  "0  mother!"  she  exclaim- 
ed out  of  breath,  "what  a  dreadful  time  we  have  had!  What  wonld 
"my  dear  brothers  say,  if  they  knew  what  we  have  endured  this  day? 
'Omild  tb«y  hv^  egos  that  mffiao  with  i-an»d  club,   curw  n»  kA 


38 

"call  me  a  vile  name,  and  swear  lie  would  knock  my  bead  off,  if  I  came 
•"out  with  the  water,  would  they  not  feel  that  they  h-id  rather  die  in 
*'the  cause  of  independence,  than  to  be  united  with  such  a  vile  race  as, 
<'lhis  I"  While  this  work  was  going  on — wliile  the  fire-bell  was 
'sounding  the  alarm,  Mrs.  Reutrop,  a  lady  delicately  reared,  of  educa- 
tion aud  mauuers  belonging  to  an  elevated  station  in  society,  wa3  com- 
pelled to  <3anee  attendance  before  Gen.  Weitzel's  tent.  He  did  not 
deign  to  see  her,  as  she  e.xpresses  it,  "until  ho  had  eaten  two  break- 
fasts"— nntiU  in  fact,  complete  time  had  been  given  for  the  contempla- 
ted destruction  of  the  dwelling  sheltt^ring  these  feeble  and  unprotected, 
women. 

But  we  find  this  officer  again,  on  the  farlton  estate.  He  here  fol- 
lowed the  more  usual  custom.  His  camp  was  pitcliel  witliin  the  en- 
closures, and  under  the  windows  of  the  dwelling;  hisoffiiers  and  men 
occupied  the  out-buildings,  where  they  coir.mitted  the  ordinary  depre- 
dations and  excesses;  and  he,  personally,  as  the  evi  lence  discloses,  by 
his  coai'se  manners  and  language,  and  by  his  indecent  behavior,  drove 
the  ladies  of  the  family  to  their  most  secluded  apartments.  Generally 
intoxicated,  lie  exhibited  himself  openly  and  shamelessly  in  fond  dal- 
liance with  negro  servant  girls.  His  staff  imitated  their  chief  in  vul- 
garity of  speech  and  behavior.  Finally  his  camp  br  ike  up;  when  he 
rode  out  of  the  yard  calling  out,  "Come  on  boys,  there  are  other  rich 
plantations  here  to  sack!" 

There  were  instances  of  protection  being  offered  by  officers  high  iu 
command;  but  the  policy  of  the  Commanding  General  prevailed  over 
them,  if  they  v/ere  sincere  in  their  offers  or  their  efforts. 

Gen.  Lee  requested  permission  to  take  apartments  in  the  dwelling  oc- 
cuoied  by  Mrs.  Smedes,  on  h:r  plantation  nea^•  New  Iberia;  and  as  an 
iaducement  to  her  compliance  with  his  request,  he  suggtstoJ  tliat  his 
presence  would  be  a  protection  to  her  propeity.  She  very  g'adly  ac- 
ceded to  it,  and  the  gentleman  and  anoth  t  officer  established  them- 
selves very  comfortably.  But  presently,  the  lady  found  herself  de- 
prived of  the  use  of  her  servants;  that  her  provisions  were  gone;  and 
that  her  gardens,  orchards  and  fields  were  being  wasted,  her  fences 
burned,  her  plantation  buildings  destroyed,  and  the  building  attached 
to  her  residence  consumed.  She  saw  at  last  the  fire  put  to  her  corn- 
:ftelds-;  and  she  indignantly  asked  the  General  if  this  was  the  promised 
protection.  He  recoiled  iu.s^ame,  and  humbly  coafej.8e.^  !^i§  i^abiUt^ 
to  protect  her.  .    '.,''..'.  ",    '■       ^  "     ,.''     [,■.■. 

^ni  the  instances  were  rare  where  inhabited  dwellings "were-occupieE 
in  this  manner;  whenever  caprice  or  convenience  suggested  a  want,  no 
motive  of  delicacy  restrained  the  Federal  hand.  The  country  was- 
:^uU  of  deserted  houses  from  which  families  had  fled;  yet  inhabited 
dwellings  were  remorselessly  taken  for  purposes  which  exposed,  the 
inmates,  not  merely  to  iucouyenienca  or.depa'ivatioo,  but  sometimes  tff 
diB^s.e  and  death.  •       - 

Thje  residenoeofMr.  ]i<@donxj  Bituated  in  the  country,  near  St,  Mar- 


39 

tinsville,  was,  in  opposition  to  his  earnest  remonstrances,  takevt  for  » 
Federal  hospital.  His  family  were  reluctantly  permitted  to  occupy 
one  room  in  their  own  dwelling — the  room  of  his  wife — fhe  room  in 
whi  :h  she  had  been  confined  for  many  years  by  ill  health,  ai^tl  in  which 
she  was  then  lying,  too  low  to  be  removed  without  endan^'evlng  Ikr 
life. 

VIII.  As  the  enemy  advanced  through  the  country  he  de\'<'<"»tated 
and  tortured;  as  he  retreated  he  used  the  torch.  The  lower  wat.'^rs  of 
the  Teche  and  Atchafalaya,  while  the  Federalists  have  occupied  Ber- 
wick's Bay,  havH  been  open  to  their  gunboats;  and  under  their  proifc- 
tion  advances  have  been  undertaken,  and  sudden  retreats  made;  noi/a 
without  leaving  some  evidence  of  their  presence,  in  chimney  stacks 
arising  out  of  the  charred  ruins  of  costly  edifices.  These  still  stand, 
marking  the  places  where  once  stood  the  elegant  and  hospitable  man- 
sions of  the  Rhodes',  the  Bateraan's,  the  Stirling's,  the  Wilcoxon's,  the 
Fusilier's,  the  Carpenter's,  the  Ooruey's,  the  Perkins',  the  Bethel's, 
the  Smith'.c,  the  Harding's,  the  Burns',  and  others.  And  but  for  a 
happy  accident,  a  quick  discovery,  and  an  active  effort,  (he  site  of 
Fianklin,  the  thriving  commercial  town  of  the  Teche,  would  have  been 
thus  marked.  As  the  pressed  rear  ufChickering's  column  fled  through 
the  town,  iiis  soldiers  fired  the  warehouses  on  the  wharf;  but  the  sharp 
crack  of  Fournet's  rifles  ringing  in  their  ears,  paralyzed  their  nims; 
and  their  work,  bunglingly  executed,  was  soon  discover  d  by  the  citi- 
zens, who  subdued  the  rising  flames. 

But  the  hand  of  the  destroyer  fell  no  less  heavily  than  that  of  the  in- 
cendiary: wherever  directed  by  caprice,  convenience  or  wantonness, 
wherever  the  materials  could  serve  a  temporary  purpose,  or  offer  a  mo- 
mentary gratification,  it  fell  upon  the  most  costly  and  valuable  edifice?* 

On  the  wooded  banks  of  the  Vermilion,  whose  waters  am  shaded  by 
timber  trees,  which,  when  felled,  would  stretch  across  them,  the  sugar 
Louse  of  Mr.  Crow  was  j)ulled  down,  and  the  materials  transported  half 
a  mile,  to  construct  a  bridge  across  the  bayou.  The  destruction  of  this 
building  for  that  purpose,  not  only  involved  its  loss  to  the  owner,  but 
the  loss  ot  many  thousand  dollars  worth  of  seed  cotton,  left  in  the  open 
air  to  waste  and  decay.  1  he  neighboring  dwelling  bouse  of  Major 
fiosthene  Mouton,  after  being  partly  torn  down  to  provide  tent  floors, 
was  wantonly  buinei.1  to  (he  grouud;  and  other  buildings  in  the  neigh- 
borhood Were,  in  the  same  manner,  destio^'ed.  The  wood  work  of 
Governor  Mouton's  sugar  house,  even  the  lintels  over  the  doors,  were 
torn  out,  and  consumed,  with  the  materials  of  his  corn  cribs  and 
barns,  at  the  enemy's  watch-fires  on  (he  banks  of  the  Vermilion,  and  in 
the  midst  of  its  forest  trees.  In  fact,  on  all  the  farms  and  estates  wliere 
the  enemy  encamped,  though  transportation  was  abundant  and  forests 
near,  the  most  valuable  buildings  and  other  costly  material  were  con- 
sumed for  fire- wood.  On  the  Olivier  estate,  not  only  the  barns  and  a 
large  sugar  house  were  torn  down  and  used  in  this  manner,  but  a 
liXTfje  cotton  gin,  which  contained  in  seed  cotton  what  might  now  b« 


40 

considered  &  fortane,  whs  torn  to  pieces  and  its  contents  thrown  intu 
the  bayou,  wbil*  the  valuable  machinery  of  the  other  buildings  follow- 
'cd  the  same  dt'stinatiou.  On  the  Brashear  side  of  Berwick's  Bay, 
anaqy  citizens  have  been  driven  away  by  the  continued  presence  of  the 
-enemyj  and  those  who  remain,  though  accejiting  his  protection,  under 
the  correlative  obligation  of  obedience  to  his  laws,  are  subject  to  every 
«pecies  of  persecution.  In  the  winter  of  1863-4,  all  the  nnoccupied 
"buildings  here,  were  torn  down  and  consumed  for  fuel.  Even  the 
house  of  a  poor  widow,  on  the  Young  estato,  was  turn  down  over  the 
heads  of  herself  and  her  children;  and  she  with  them  was  driven  to  one 
roofless  room,  with  a  part  of  its  gable  down.  In  this  miserable  abode 
she  and  her  children  were  left  to  shiver  over  a  meagre  fire  of  faggots. — 
Mrs.  Martha  Collins,  another  poor  sufferer,  shared  the  same  fate. — 
Robbed  of  everything  she  possessed,  and  her  house  burned  down  by 
the  Federal  soldiers,  she  and  a  large  family  of  children  were  reduced  to 
want,  and  turned  adrift  without  food,  raiment  or  shelter. 

IX.  The  K-tran  of  the  Mohammedan  enjoins  that,  in  warfare,  the 
cattle  and  the  harvest  of  the  husbandman  be  spared,  except  in  so  far  as 
they  may  be  used  to  supply  absolute  wants;  the  Divine  law  of  the 
Christian  requires  that  the  evils  of  war  be  mitigated,  by  sparing  peace- 
ful men  and  feeble  women  and  children;  but  the  men  of  the  "higher 
law,"  in  the  Federal  army,  will  be  found  to  illustrate  a  code  of  morals 
peculiar  to  themselves. 

General  Bank's  auxiliary  robbers,  assisted  by  the  forty-first  Massachu- 
setts regiment,  swept  the  prairies  around  Opelousas,  bringing  in  every 
animal  that  could  be  driven — the  milch-cow  that  yielded  her  daily  sup- 
ply of  nourishment — the  gentle  ox  that  received  his  food  from  his  mas- 
ter's hand — the  horse  for  the  family — the  light  horses  of  the  herdsman  ; 
the  hack-horses  of  the  plantation— the  ponies  that  carried  the  children 
to  f  choul — the  devons,  the  durhams  and  ayreshires,  from  the  cultivated 
pastures — the  merinos,  th>i  cotswells,  and  the  south-downs,  from  th« 
fleecy  flocks,  and  every  animal  adapted  to  the  sustenance  or  service 
of  man.  They  were  penned  in  and  around  the  village,  and  as  no  care 
was  bestowed  upon  them  many  died  there  and  on  the  road  as  they 
were  driven  away.  They  were  drawn  out  as  they  were  required,  and 
80  many  were  slaughtered,  that  not  only  a  superfluity  of  beef  remained 
in  'he  camps,  but  it  was  thrown  out  to  all  comers  withot^t  stint.  Hors- 
es were  distributed  so  freely,  that  every  camp-follower  was  provided.— 
Had  these  animals  been  required  for  the  use  of  the  Federal  army,  the 
inhabitants  might  still  have  justly  complained  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  were  taken,  and  consumed;  but,  on  the  contrary,  few  in  compari- 
son to  the  number  taken,  were  consumed  or  used  by  it.  Thousands 
were  driven  off  as  booty,  and  sold  at  prices  such  as  only  the  robber  can 
afford  to  receive  for  his  plunder.  Such  were  the  number  of  animals 
thrown  upon  the  Lafourche  and  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  that  they  bo- 
came  comparatively  valueless. 
Ffom  Opekmeas  to  tb*  Bay,  wherevsr  tids  army  ettcainp«<U  or  w1}«r- 


41 

ever  it  left  a  detachment,  a  squad,  or  a  courier  station,  animals,  far  ex- 
ceeding the  number  required,  were  daily  slaughtered,  and  parts  of  the 
carcasses  with  the  offal,  were  left  upon  the  ground  to  fester  and  poison 
the  air-  At  a  courier  station  below  Opelousas,  where  there  were  five 
soldiers,  they  slaughtered  for  themselves  each  day,  a  beef,  a  sheep,  or 
a  hog,  and  the  parts  left  to  decay  poisoned  the  air  of  a  populous 
neighborhood.  During  the  time  that  a  division  encamped  near  Mr. 
Elise  Thibodeaux',  on  the  Vermilion,  cattle  were  driven  up  by  hun- 
dreds and  butchered  before  his  door;  and  so  recklessly  were  they  shot 
down  that  the  bullets  used  penetrated  his  dwelling.  He  was  an  old 
man — he  could  not  speak  the  language  of  his  enemies;  and  therefore, 
he  could  not  remonstrate — he  could  only  suffer.  While  cutting  up  the 
carcasses,  they  wanned  their  feet  at  fires  kindled  with  his  wife's  hand- 
cards,  and  fed  with  his  plough  beams  and  her  loom.  The  atmosphere 
around  was  infected  by  the  stench  of  offal  and  putrified  carcasses;  and 
as  soon  as  the  division  moved  away,  his  neighbors  gathered  to  bury  the 
festering  remains.  Wliil*  engaged  in  this  work,  they  counted  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  cattle  heads,  lying  around,  in  every  stage  of 
decay. 

Stragglers  over  the  prairies  would  kill  calves  for  their  tongues;  and 
foraging  parties,  too,  destroyed  animals  in  mere  wantonness.  A  large 
party  were  foraging  on  the  Kemper  plantation,  in  the  Oypres-mort. — 
The  depredations  of  the  soldiers  reached  the  dwelling,  and  threatened 
to  invade  it.  Mrs.  Kemper  ran  out  to  find  the  officer  in  command  to 
obtain,  if  possible,  a  guard  for  her  house;  but  she  was  turned  back  be- 
fore reaching  him,  by  the  shocking  and  sickening  sight  that  met  her 
eye.  She  made  three  efforts,  but  she  says  her  heart  sjckenefl 
and  her  brain  reeled — she  could  not  go  forward.  The  sight  of 
slaughtered  cows  and  hogs,  of  rude  soldiers  breaking  the  backs 
of  calves  with  billets  of  wood,  and  tossing  sheep  and  pigs  upon 
their  bayonets,  was  too  revolting.  The  Federal  army  also  killed 
colts  following  their  dams,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  them;  and  numbers 
of  these  carcasses  were  found  after  the  evacuation  of  the  country. 

The  fields,  the  gardens,  the  orchards,  the  fruit,  and  even  the  shade 
trees,  were  destroyed  as  ruthlessly,  as  wastefully,  and  as  wantonly,  as 
the  animals.  The  gardens  were  rooted  up  and  their  fences  consumed 
for  fuel;  the  orchards  were  broken  down,  limb  by  limb;  and  we  have 
seen  pecan  trees,  the  growth  of  several  generations,  under  which  the 
children  of  many  succeeding  families  had  played,  cut  down  to  facilitate 
the  gathering  of  their  fruit.  We  have  seen,  too,  the  pride  of  the  man- 
sion, the  venei-able  live  oak,  with  its  evergreen  foliage  and  its  extend- 
ing branches,  covering  a  space  where  a  regiment  might  find  shelter 
from  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun,  and  which  had  perhaps  sheltered 
the  Chiefs,  in  council,  of  the  Attakapas  and  the  Opelousas,  at  the  time 
Columbus  was  answering  the  doubts  of  the  learned  men  of  Cordova, 
burned  at  the  roots,  and  its  branches  hacked  away  to  n%ko  fuel  for 
camp-fires. 


42 

They  would  have  destroyed,  as  previously  stated,  the  sources  of  the 
supply  of  salt,  with  the  same  wantonness.  They  tried  their  feeble 
hands  upon  it,  but  failed;  for  God  had  planted  it  there,  as  He  had  the 
alluvion  of  Attakapas,  in  masses  too  great  to  be  destroyed,  or  rendered 
sterile;  and  their  hands  were  as  impotent  to  destroy  it,  as  they  would 
have  been  to  exhaust  the  granite  rocks  of  New  England. 

To  destroy  the  limited  store  of  medicines  hoarded  b^  families,  and 
purchased  at  incredible  expense  by  druggists,  cost  but  httle  labor;  and 
their  destruction  was  pursued  with  as  much  ^rdor  and  vigor,  as  if  they 
had  been  magazines  of  defence.  They  appropriated  and  destroyed 
them,  wherever  found — in  the  household,  or  in  the  shop.  They  were 
made  a  particular  object  of  search,  and  when  found  were  thrown  iiito 
the  dirt,  if  not  appropriated.  The  114th  New  York  regiment,  under 
Lieut.  Col.  Ptirlee,  forced  open  the  drug  store  of  Mr.  Duchamp,  at  St» 
Martinsville,  and  carried  away  or  destroyed  all  the  medicines,  the  lan- 
cets, and  other  instruments  iiseful  to  the  surgeon  or  the  physician.  It 
was  necessary  for  the  druggists  to  conceal  their  stores  to  save  them. — 
In  opposition  to  the  usages  of  the  civilized  world,  have  medicines  been 
made  contraband  of  war,  and  destroyed  as  are  instruments  of  warfare. 
For  the  first  time  in  history,  do  we  find  a  civilized  people  making  war 
upon  hospitals,  old  men,  a,ud  helpless  women  and  children,  and  glory- 
ing in  it.  But  the  other  day,  the  report  of  the  Federal  general,  who 
made  a  successful  raid  into  an  interior  town,  boasted,  not  of  the  guns 
and  Cartridges,  the  cannon  and  bombs,  he  had  captured,  but  of  the  large 
quantity  of  quinine,  and  other  medicines,  he  had  destroyed  or  brought 
away. 

Dr.  E.  Millardr  an  experienced  and  distinguished  physician  ©f  St. 
Landry,  assures  us  that,  of  those  who  fall  sick,  particularly  the  aged 
and  the  children,  a  larger  per  centage  die  now,  for  want  of  the  proper 
medicines,  than  before  the  war,  svhen  they  were  easily  obtained.  Let 
our  enemies  receive  all  the  satisfaction  this  assurance  will  give  them. 
The  war  they  make  against  the  feeble,  is  naore  successful  thijn  that 
they  wage  against  the  strong. 

While  the  means  of  sustaining  and  preserving  health  were  being 
thus  destroyed,  the  same  fell  spirit  directed  the  destruction  of  the 
means  of  repairing  the  consummated  waste.  In  pursuing  our  investi- 
gation, we  have  seen  on  different  plantations  piles  of  the  remains  of 
aratory  instruments,  plows,  harrows,  cultivators,  shovels,  hoes ;  of  coop- 
ers', carpenters',  and  blacksmiths'  tools;  of  iron  axles,  hub  boxes, 
tires,  and  other  iron  work  of  plantation  carts,  the  wood  W^ork  consumed 
by  fire,  and  the  iron  parts  bent  or  broken.  We  have  seen  the  remains 
of  the  corn  mills,  that  had  been  violently  hurled  down,  the  stones  bro- 
ken, the  spindles  wrenched  out,  and  the  gearing  broken  in  pieces.  And 
we  have  seen  the  most  valuable  machinery  for  grinding  cane  and'man- 
facturing  sugar,  that  had  been  broken,  and  essential  parts  had  been  de- 
stroyed, carried  away,  or  thrown  into  the  neighboring  bayou.  The 
wantonness  and  completeness  of  destruction  on  the  Teche,  may  be  no 


V  43 

better  illustrated  thau  iu  the  memorandum  of  oac  planter,  Mr.  Nelson, 
which  is  attached  to  a  protest  intended  for  public  record.  On  this  plan- 
tation, twelve  miles  of  fence  around  the  place,  enough  cypress  boards 
for  two  more  miles  of  fence,  the  fences  around  the  house,  the  orchard 
and  the  vegetable  garden,  the  gutters  around  the  building  leading  to 
two  large  cisterns,  a  valuable  floating  plantation  bridge  across  the 
Teche,  two  hundred  and  fifty  sugar  hogsheads,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
molasses  barrels,  and  dressed  staves  and  heading  for  two  hundred  more 
hogsheads,  were  consumed  for  fuel  at  the  Federal  camp-fires.  They 
also  -^ore  down  for  fire-wood  the  mill-house,  two  barns,  and  nine  other 
out-buildings.  They  took  all  the  corn,  fodder  and  hay  on  the  planta- 
tion, leaving  none  for  eitker  the  white  family  or  the  negroes.  They 
tore  up  and  destroyed  the  plantation  tan-yard ;  unshipped  and  destroy- 
ed valuable  portions  of  a  fine  steam  engine ;  tore  down  the  corn  mill, 
and  destroyed  the  running  gear;  and  they  cut  to  pieces,  burned  or 
broke  the  plows,  cane  carts,  harness,  axes,  hoes,  cane  knives,  and  black- 
smith's, carpenter's,  cooper's  and  tanner's  tools,  belonging  to  the  plan- 
tation. 

But  this  destroying  spirit,  like  the  pestilence,  spared  neither  rich 
nor  poor — it  fell  on  all  alike — on  the  small  farmers  of  the  prairies,  as 
on  their  more  opulent  neighbors  of  the  bayous.  The  quiet  and  unos- 
tentatious manners  of  these  inhabitants,  their  frugal  and  industrious 
habits,  and  their  unaggressive  disposition,  which  they  derive,  as  they 
do  their  language,  from  their  ancestors,  the  persecuted  refugees  from 
their  northern  Acadia — should  have  secured  for  them  at  least,  immimity 
from  the  ravages  of  war ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  it  only  seemed  to  invite 
the  aggression  of  the  Federal  soldiers.  They  fell  upon  them  with  the 
virulence  which  animates  ignoble  minds  against  the  weak,  the  defence- 
less, and  those  whose  language  cannot  offer  the  poor  shield  of  expostu- 
lation, and  deprived  them,  as  we  have  before  stated,  of  even  their  food 
and  clothing. 

It  would  be  supposed  that  the  most  refined  malignity  could  go  no 
farther ;  but  God,  as  if  to  show  the  deep  depravity  of  man,  when  re- 
leased from  the  restraint  of  His  law,  has  permitted  this  army  to  sound 
the  depth  of  human  corruption.  From  the  evidence  before  us,  they 
spread  abroad  among  the  citizens  a  virixs,  as  sm*e  in  its  effects  as  the 
handful  of  ashes  thrown  out  by  Moses  before  Pharaoh,  which  brought 
boils  upon  the  people  of  Egypt,  though  its  consequences  were  more  ter- 
rific. This  followed  the  course  of  the  blood,  attacked  the  finger  nails, 
the  toe  nails,  the  joints,  the  bones,  and  threw  out  upon  th«  surface  of 
the  body  the  foulest  ulcers. 

This  charge  is  so  grave,  even  against  those  who  have  proved  them- 
selves, as  we  have  seen,  so  utterly  depraved,  that  we  would  hesitate  to 
give  it  place  here,  were  it  not  supported  by  such  respectable  and  con- 
current testimony. 

When  the  enemy  was  encamped  at  Now  Iberia,  the  small-pox  broke 
out  in  virulent  form  among  the  troops;  and  as  they  were  constantly 


44  •'' 

making  excursions  into  the  country  for  foraging  and  other  purposes,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  farms,  plantations,  and  neighboring  villages  were 
exposed  to  taking  the  disease.  They  became  seriously  alarmed;  there 
was  no  vaccine  matter  in  the  country,  and  their  position  precluded  the 
possibility  of  obtaining  it  outside  of  the  Federal  lines.  Their  physi- 
cians,^ of  necessity,  sent  to  the  Federal  surgeons  for  it ;  and  they  were 
supplied  with  a  virus  which  was  used  upon  infants,  children,  feeble 
women  and  strong  men  with  the  same  results :  its  results  spread  with 
the  rapidity  of  fire.  Had  this  been  in  some  isolated  cases,  or  had  the 
same  eflPect  followed  among  the  soldiers  who  were  vaccinated,  we  might 
charitably  conclude  that  the  result  in  the  country  was  from  an  acciden- 
tal cause.  But  while  no  complaint  came  fi-om  the  soldiers,  at  least  no 
general  complaint,  the  country  was  filled  with  cases  of  this  kind,  the 
cause  not  coming  from  one  source,  but  from  many,  and  all  from  the 
same  fountain  head — the  Federal  camp.  Dr.  Sabatier,  a  physician  of 
extensive  practice  at  St.  Martinsville,  says :  "  In  December,  1863,  when 
"the  small-pox  broke  out  among  the  Federal  troops,  then  occupying 
"New  Iberia,  it  was  impossible  in  our  vicinity  to  procure  the  smallest 
"portion  of  vaccine  matter.  Exposed  as  we  were  to  the  contagion  of 
"  the  disease,  by  the  constant  raids  made  by  the  Federalists  in  our  town,, 
"lused  my  best  exertions  to  procure  some  vaccine  from  the  Federal 
"physicians  in  New  Iberia,  and  through  one  of  mj  confreres  succeeded 
"in  getting  a  few  points  loaded  with  vaccine,  which  I  immediately  in- 
"noculated  to  my  own  children.  The  disastrous  effects  of  the  poison 
"were  as  quick  as  fire.  A  few  days  after  the  operation,  ane  of  my  poor 
"little  baby's  arms  was  horribly  swollen  and  inflamed,  and  on  the  sec- 
"ond  day  appeared  a  pustule  which  had  nothing  of  the  appearance  of 
"vaccine.  Three  days  after,  the  pustule  opened,  letting  out  a  little 
"Iquantity  of  greenish  matter,  and  to  that  succeeded  a  terrible  ulcer, 
"  which  kept  growing  larger  and  larger,  until  it  came  to  the  size  of  a 
"dollar.  New  pustules  formed  around  the  ulcer,  and  followed  the  same 
"  course.  I  cannot  describe  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  little  thing.  The 
"disease  lasted  more  than  six  months;  the  child  lost  all  its  finger  and 
"  toe  nails.  The  lymphatic  glands  of  the  neck  and  groin  formed  abscesses 
"which  had  to  be  opened,  and  it  was  only  after  a  regular  course  of  mer- 
"  curial  treatment  that  I  succeeded  in  curing  the  poor  child.  The  de- 
"  scri-ption  of  this  case  is  nothing  to  he  compared  M;jV7i  hundreds  of 
"  OTHERS '«;^m  I  have  been  called  upon  to  treat." 

We  leave  this  horrid  recital  to  speak  for  itself,  and  trust,  for  the  sake 
of  humanity,  that  few  such  instances  are  to  be  recorded. 

X.  A  captive,  it  is  said,  was  brought  before  an  Asiatic  prince  :  the 
scimetar  was  already  raised  over  Ws  head,  when  oppressed  by  intolera- 
ble thirst  he  begged  for  water.  A  cup  was  handed  him :  he  held  it  as 
if  apprehensive  lest  the  scimetar  would  fall  while  he  was  in  the  act  of 
drinking.  "Take  courage,"  said  the  prince;  "your  life  will  be  spared 
till  you  have  drunk  this  water."  He  instantly  dashed  the  cup  and  water 
to  the  ground.    The  good  faith  of  the  barbarian  saved  him.    The  word 


45 

had  passed :  k  was  enough  ;  and  the  captive  went  on  his  way  rejoicing'. 
But  we  would  not  try  tEe  Federal  invaders  by  so  severe  a  test  >  for 
their  total  disregard  ©f  all  the  obligations  of  faith  and  covenant  would 
shame  even  the  king  of  Dahomey. 

The  few  old  men  and  unprotected  women  who  remained  in  the  lower 
part  of  this  district,  were  invited  by  the  Federal  authorities  to  accept 
their  protection  ;  and  their  peculiar  situation,  exposed  as  they  were  to. 
continuous  attacks,  both  on  their  persons  and  property,  made  it  in  many 
instances  imperative  for  them  to  do  so.  Their  fate  as  citizens  was  not 
to  be  decided  by  their  own  actions,  but  by  the  event  of  the  war ;  and 
they  might  perhaps  with  propriety  assume  an  obligation,  which  irr  its 
nature  could  be  but  temporary;  and  they  might,  with  equal  pi-opriety, 
(as  indeed  they  could  scarcely  do  otherwise,)  pursue  the  even  path  of 
peaceful  citizens,  while  receiving  the  protection  of  the  governing  power. 
The  Federalists  required,  for  the  protection  rightly  due  to  peaceful  citi- 
zens, the  oath  of  allegiance  to  their  government,  as  if  they  were  to  re- 
main in  permanent  possession,  and  exercise  its  functions.  The  obliga- 
tion of  this  oath  could  only  bind  the  parties  taking  it,  to  obedience  to 
the  rules  and  regulations  established  by  this  government;  and  so  long 
as  they  did  not  violate  them,  they  were  entitled  to  the  pi'otection  ex- 
tended to  every  citizen.  We  do  not  remember  to  have  read  of  any 
State  that  thought  it  necessary  or  proper  to  penetrate  the  recesses  of 
the  mind,  to  ascertain  if  obedience  proceeded  from  affection,  or  from 
other  motives  which  may  control  the  individual.  Obedience  to  the  law, 
we  believe,  has  been  considered  sufficient.  It  was  probably  many  years 
after  this  territory  was  ceded  by  France,  before  the  affections  of  the 
inhabitants  adhered  to  the  government ;  yet  there  never  was  a  people 
more  obedient  to  the  law,  or  who  performed  the  duties  of  citizens  in  a 
more  exemplary  manner.  But  the  rule  of  practice  and  the  code  of  mor- 
als of  the  Fede  ralist,  is  mi  genesis.  He  invites,  nay,  he  forces  people 
to  assume  the  obligations  of  citizenship,  then  derides  their  motives, 
and  refuses  the  correlative  obligation  of  protection  to  which  he  has 
doubly  bound  himself,  by  receiving  the  one  and  promising  the  other. 
We  have  already  seen  how  poor  Borel  (who  had  taken  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance) fared  when  he  applied  to  Gen.  Banks  for  his  last  horse — his 
last  means  of  support :  others  fared  no  better.  Indeed,  but  few  received 
any  protection  for  their  property ;  and  those  who  did,  it  is  thought 
used  more  potent  influences  than  personal  service  or  allegiance. 

A  provost  guard,  under  a  Gapt.  Ellis  of  the  174th  New  York,  was 
stationed  at  Madame  Olivier's.  He  took  possession  of  the  magazines, 
corn-cribs,  and  other  out-buildings,  and  besides  prohibiting  the  negroes 
of  the  place  from  serving  the  family  in  any  manner,  he  incited  them  by 
his  speeches  to  insurrectionary  proceedings  against  them.  They  were 
denied  access  to  their  own  corn  and  meal,  after  having  been  deprived 
before  of  all  the  provisions  (an  ampla  store)  which  their  house  con- 
tained. Madame  Olivier  w*s  insultingly  told  that  she  owned  nothing  ; 
that  if  she  witehed  for  meal,  she  must  buy  it  of  the  servants,  or  if  they 


46 

chose,  tb,ey  might  give  it  to  her.  She  had  no  recourse  but  iu  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Federal  authorities.  She  sought  and  received  the  prom- 
ised protection;  but  the  proceedings  of  Gapt.  Ellis  continued  as  before. 
The  only  subsistence  she  could  get  for  herself  and  family  was  covertly 
obtained  and  brought  to  her  by  some  domestics  who  had  remained  faith- 
ful. Aged  and  feeble,  she  was  compelled  to  ride  twenty -three  miles  to 
general  headquarters  ^q  seek  redress.  There  her  representations  and 
remonstrances  were  unhedde4 }  and  sl^e  was  sneqringly  told  to  apply  to 
the  nearest  post — tp  the  o^cer  of  which  she  had  already  complained, 
and  against  whon^  §he  had  such  just  cause  of  complaipt. 

Madame  Fusilier  had  packed  up  her  clothing,  silver  plate  and  jew- 
elry in  boxes,  and  sent  them  away  to  the  house  of  a  friend.  They 
were  discovered,  seized  and  carried  off  in  the  quartermaster  wagons. 
This  lady  was  subsequently  compelled  to  seek  Federal  protection  :  it 
was  promised.  She  n)ade  application  for  her  boxes.  On  investigation 
it  was  found  that  the  box  containing  the  jewelry  was  missing,  though 
it  was  on  the  list  held  by  the  quartermaster.  The  silver  plate  was 
valuable,  and,  like  the  plate  of  the  Crow  family,  had  to  be  looked  into. 
She  was  put  off  from  time  to  time  by  evasive  answers,  but  still  led  to 
believe  that  it  would  be  returned.  At  length  she  pressed  the  matter 
to  a  conclusion,  ajad  was  then,  for  the  first  time,  coolly  informed  that 
her  husband  and  her  sons  being  in  the  Confederate  army,  her  plate  was 
confiscated  by  the  orders  of  the  War  Department.  Paul  Jones  return- 
ed the  Earl  of  Selkirk's^  though  he  had  to  force  it  from  his  soldiers  who 
claimed  it  as  legitimate  booty. 

Mr.  Bateman,  vhose  house  was  sacked  as  we  have  related,  had, 
through  his  numerous  relatives  and  friends,  refurnished  his  house  and 
collected  new  supplies  of  provisions  and  a  little  necessary  farm  stock. 
The  feeble  old  gentleman,  who  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of  three 
score  years  and  ten,  had  taken  the  required  oath  to  receive  the  Federal 
protection.  Though  he  had  pursued  the  course  of  a  peaceful,  quiet  and 
unoffending  citizen,  his  plantation  was  frequently  despoiled  by  ma- 
rauders, and  at  length  all  his  substance  was  taken  away  by  regularly 
organized  bodies  of  Federal  troops.  A  detachment  from  the  18th  New 
York  cavalry  and  some  ijegro  troops,  under  the  command  of  a  Colonel 
Jones,  made  a  raid  up  the  Atcnafalaya,  protected  by  two  gunboats. 
They  halte^  at  Mr.  Bateman's,  and  the  giinboat  No.  49,  commanded 
by  Capt.  Ivepnard,  landed  to  receive  the  plunder  from  the  plantation. 
Mr.  Bateman  entreated  the  officers  in  comniand  to  spare  him  !  He  ex- 
hibited his  papers  and  claimed  protection  |inder  them ;  but  neither  the 
entreaty  nor  covenant  availed  him,  nor  did  his  position  or  his  age  pro- 
tect him  against  their  coarse  abuse.  They  both  reviled  and  despoiled 
him.  All  his  provisions  were  taken  from  his  store-rooms  ;  the  few  bar- 
rels of  molasses  he  had  saved  were  rolled  aboard  the  boat ;  his  poul- 
try, hogs  and  vegetables  were  taken  off,  and  his  house  was  thoroughly 
eviscerated  from  garret  to  cellar.  In  the  former  sack,  the  upper  rooms, 
to  which  the  ladies  had  withdrawn,  escaped ;  but  on  tliils  occasion  the 


47 

work  was  perfect.  They  prized  opeu  the  drawers,  armoirs  and  tranks 
and  emptied  their  contents  into  sacks,  made  by  ripping  open  the  beds 
and  throwing  oiit  their  feathers,  hair  or  moss.  They  destroyed,  or  car- 
ried away,  the  family  portraits  and  miniatures,  private  letters,  the  toys 
of  the  children,  and  every  memorial  and  heir-loom  consecrated  in  the 
affections  df  the  family.  And  then,  to  crown  the  villainy,  they  put 
fire  to  the  large  and  costly  sugar  house    and   bunied  it  to  the  ^ound. 

These  evidences  of  broken  faith  and  covenant  are  recorded  as"  exam- 
ples of  hundreds  of  others ;  but  we  are  yet  to  present  its  most  striking 
exhibition,  in  the  treatment  of  the  black  race,  who  became  the  easy 
victims  of  their  professed  friends  and  liberators. 

The  story  of  the  degradation  of  the  barracoons  of  the  Slave  Coasts 
and  the  horrors  of  the  middle  passage,  has  been  told  ia  history  and  re- 
cited in  song,  everywhere  exciting  the  sympathies  of  mankind  ;  but  it 
has  been  reserved  for  the  peculiar  friends  of  the  African  race  to  repro- 
duce, in  an  enlightened  age,  aggravated  scenes  of  horror  parallel  to 
those  so  eloquently  commemorated  by  the  historian  and  the  poet.  The 
public  documents  of  the  enemy,  cnaracterized  by  the  same  disingen- 
uousness  that  marks  his  conduct,  invariably  convey  the  impression 
that  the  negro  seeking  freedom  under  his  protection  is  only  received 
from  a  sense  of  duty  to  relieve  his  suffering  condition.  The  truthful 
narrator  of  the  exodus  of  the  negroes  from  these  parishes  will  exhibit 
in  burning  characters  the  falsity  of  the  im.pression  thus  sought  to  be 
conveyed. 

On  its  march  the  Federal  army,  through  its  emissaries,  who  pene- 
trated every  negro  quarter,  proclaimed  the  freedom  of  the  slave.  While 
it  occupied  the  country,  its  officers  and  men  were  spread  in  every  direc- 
tion, engaged  in  inciting  the  slaves  to  licentiousness  and  disobedience, 
and  in  spreading  artfully  devised  tales  designed  to  excite  their  imag- 
ination and  impress  them  with  the  desire  of  leaving  their  comfortable 
homes,  in  quest  of  the  new  El  Dorado  depicted  by  their  friends.  Inti- 
mately associating  with  the  blacks,  and  stimulating  them  to  appropriate 
such  of  their  master's  property  as  gratified  their  cupidity,  these  emissa- 
ries succeeded  only  so  far  as  to  divert  them  from  their  usual  pursuits, 
or  to  induce  them  to  appropriate  articles  of  trifling  value  on  the  planta- 
tions. And  it  is  not  less  remarkable  that  insurrection  and  revolt — the 
object  of  these  machinations  of  the  enemy — evaporated  in  occasional 
disrespect  to  accustomed  authority,  or  harmless  displays  of  vanity  re- 
sulting from  imagined  ideas  of  equality.  The  tales  circulated  for  the 
ear  of  thisjcreduloua  and  somewhat  imaginative  people  were  as  fasci- 
nating as  those  of  the  Arabian  Nights.  The  social  condition  was  to  be 
inverted ;  the  slave  was  to  be  served  by  his  master,  and  to  occupy  his 
place  and  condition;  he  was  to  enjoy  an  uninterrupted  exemption 
from  labot;  fine  equipages  were  to  await  his  bidding,  and  he  was  to 
enjoy  his  ease  in  the  quiet  mansion  of  the  planter,  or  in  the  confiscated 
dwellings  of  the  City,  with  their  rich  furniture  and  their  splendid  deco- 
rations.    The  faith  in  such  extravagant  promises  might  simply  provoke 


48 

a  smile  at  the  credulity  of  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed,  did  not 
the  criminal  motives  of  their  propagators  excite  a  sentiment  of  disgust 
and  abhorrence.  The  efforts  of  the  enemy  might  have  resulted  in 
driving  into  his  arms  the  entire  slave  population,  had  not  his  emissa- 
ries been  as  diligently  engaged  in  plundering  as  in  emancipating  the 
poor  objects  of  their  solicitude;  for  the  fact  is  notorious  that  on  all  the 
plantations  the  negro  women  were  robbed  by  the  soldiers  of  their  trin- 
kets and  the  men  of  their  little  savings  of  money.  Distrusting  those 
who  preached  so  well  and  practiced  so  badly,  few  of  the  slaves  at  first 
left  their  homes,  but  at  length,  attracted  by  curiosity  and  by  the  desire 
to  follow  those  who  had  preceded  them,  others  followed,  until  the  de- 
pots under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  provost  marshals  on  the  Teche,  at 
Vermilionville  and  at  Opelousas  became  swollen  by  the  influx.  To 
understand  properly  the  subject  of  which  we  are  now  treating,  it  will 
be  ne  cessary  to  describe  the  inner  life  of  one  of  those  depots,  and  we 
select  for  that  purpose  the  slave  barracoon  at  Opelousas. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  town  is  an  open  square,  on  three  sides  of 
which  are  private  dwellings  with  wide  galleries  looking  upon  the 
front,  and  on  the  fourth,  warehouses  and  stores  partially  unoccupied. 
From  the  centre  of  this  square  rises  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
which  had  but  recently  been  dedicated  according  to  the  solemn  and 
imposing  rites  of  the  church.  It  was  so  placed  that  at  some  future  day 
it  might  be  surrounded  by  luxuriant  shade  trees  on  either  side  of  pleas- 
ant avenues,  where  the  citizen  might  enjoy  his  exemption  from  toil, 
and  the  christian  might  find  a  retreat  for  religious  meditation.  Little 
did  its  builders  imagine  that  the  words  ot  our  Savior  to  the  money- 
changers of  the  temple  would  so  soon  meet  with  an  application  here : 
♦'  My  house  is  the  house  of  prayer ;  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of 
thieves."  This  square  and  church  were  set  apart  as  a  slave  depot  by 
the  Federal  commander.  At  first  the  blacks  were  invited  to  visit  the 
barracoon,  were  feasted  at  the  expense  of  their  friends,  and  were  per- 
mitted to  go  and  come  as  they  saw  proper.  The  place  soon  became 
popular.  The  handsome  reception  with  which  they  were  greeted,  the 
free  affable  manners  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  army,  the  generous  liquors 
and  the  tempting  food  so  liberally  distributed,  the  exciting  declama- 
tion of  black  and  white  exhorters  within  the  church,  soon  collected  a 
dense  sable  crowd  upon  the  square  who  found  themselves  finally  under 
guard,  and  prohibited  from  all  egress.  The  poor  negro  had  been  told 
by  his  white  friends  that  he  was  free ;  he  had  just  heard  the  same  fact 
proclaimed  from  the  pulpit ;  he  had  enjoyed  the  freedom  his  instincts 
led  him  to  seek,  in  the  festivities  around  him,  and  in  the  unrestrained 
indulgence  of  his  appetites  ;  but  when  his  inclination  naturally  led  him 
to  return  home,  he  was  met  with  crossed  bayonets  and  forbidden  to 
leave  the  place.  An  inexorable  fatality  seemed  to  hold  him  within 
the  bounds  of  his  prison.  One  man,  more  bold  than  his  fellows,  rushed 
past  the  guard,  and  was  mercilessly  shot.  This  immediately  put  an 
end  to  all  attempts  at  escape,  though  it  did  not  preyent  some  from 


4S 


jTsakiiug  their  way  out  by  eluding  the  vigilance  of  she  guard.     lu  th« 
ineantirae,  howevei',  many  new  comers,  men,  women  and  children,  wer» 
di-awn  into  the  vortex,  until  the  church,  the  square  and  the  adjoining 
warehouses  were  filled  to  overflowing.     The  accomplished  officer  who 
presided  over  the  scenes  daily  enacted  in  this  ban-acoon  was  the  "Mili- 
tary Governor  of  Opelousas,"  Col.  Chick«ring,  of  the  41st  Massachu- 
setts regiment,  who  occupied  the  moet  conspicuous  residence,  fronting 
the  entrance  of  the   church.     From   his  eligible   position  he  had,  as 
from  the  royal  box  at  the  opera,  the   most  comprehensive  view  of  the 
scenes  passing  beneath.     Morning  and  evening,  as  he  promenaded  his 
apaciotis  gaU«ry,  in  all   the  glitter  of  military  button  and  strap,  he 
passed  in  review  the  living  panorama  before  him,  which  was  to  furnish 
such  valuable  acquisitions  to  the  confiscated  plantations  on  the  La- 
fourche and   the   coaet.     The  scenes  which  he  so  complacently  sur- 
veyed will  long  live  in  the  memory  of  the  then  inhabitants  of  the  town. 
5u.  one  place   groups  of  human  beings,  with  melancholy  faces,  were 
crouched  ou  the  earth  around  some  decaying  embers  ;  in  another,  men, 
women  and  children  were  moving  in  some  African  dance  to  the  discord- 
ant chant  of  a  hundred  voices ;  in  another,  crowds  were  reclining  in 
listless  idleness  ou  the  ground,  in  «very  attitude  that   betrays   the 
vacant  mind ;  in  another,  half  clad  men  and  women  were  feasting  and 
rioting  amidst  peals  and  shouts  of  unearthly  merriment ;  in  another, 
awkward  field  hands,  grotesquely  dressed,  were  being  taken  through 
the  exercises  of  squad  drill  and  the  manual  of  arms,  while  in  the  midst 
of  all  these  scenes  blue-coated  officers   and  men  were  seen  in  amorous 
dalliance  with   the  colored  Aspasias  of  th^  town,  exhibiting,  in  their 
degradation,  a  contempt  for  the  commonest  decencies  of  life.     Nor  was 
the  spectacle  less  humiliating  in  the  church.     From  its  sacred  chancel 
a  half  crazy  negro,  with  the  voice  of  a  Stentor  and  the  fire  of  Peter  the 
Hermit,  declaimed  in  a  barbaric  jargon  to  an  auditory  whose  appre- 
ciation was  manifested  in  wild  shouts  and  screams.     The  declamation 
of  the  preacher,  in  which  the  name  of  Grod  was  connected  with  ideas 
•of  heathen  superstitiou,  seemed  to  light  up  in  the  minds  of  his  hearers 
the  dormant  spark  of  African  barbarism  which  had  smouldered  for  gen- 
erations. ♦ 

These  degrading  exhibitions,  which  caused  the  abashed  and  shocked 
families  of  the  neighborhood  to  seek  refuge  in  the  inmost  recesses  of 
their  houses  continued,  until  the  removal  of  the  Depot  to  Port  Barre, 
«n  the  10th  of  May,  put  an  end  to  the  scene.  At  the  latter  place,  in 
utter  disregard  of  the  considerations  ot  humanity,  to  say  nothing  of 
decency  and  propriety,  the  miserable  wretches  taken  from  Opelousas 
•were  promiscuously  huddled  together  in  a  hollow  square,  formed  by 
parking  wagons  and  carts  around;  and  here,  without  any  protection 
Irom  the  then  scorching  rays  of  the  sun,  or  the  weather,  tkey  remained 
nntil  relieved,  to  unite  with  the  retreating  army. 

As  Gen.  Banks  fell  back  from  Alexandria,  to  crosu  the  Mississippi, 


5« 

kr»  eaiissaries  wera  wnt  below  in  kot  haste  to  spread  an  alarm  in  th» 
eabins  of  tlie  negrees.  It  came  to  the  ear  of  the  poor  negro  "lik«  the 
alarm  of  a  fire-b.ll  in  the  night."  "Haste!  haste!"  was  tlie  cry,  "Haste, 
the  Rebels  are  coming.  They  are  slayiug  the  slaves  as  they  advance. 
Fly!  fly!"  Agitated  by  contending  emotions,  the  attachment  of  home 
at  leng;h  smothered  under  a  vague  fear  of  impending  cnlamity,  the 
poor  creatures  fell  upon  everything  ^vithin  their  reach,  which  could 
convey  them  away.  Vehicles  of  every  description  were  hastily  packed 
with  household  goods  and  human  beings.  The  aged,  the  infirm,  and 
the  children,  thus  provided  for,  the  more  robust  mounted  in  the;  great- 
est disorder  on  mwles  and  horses,  and  precipitately  joined  the  Federal 
ranks. 

Col.  Chickering,  in  the  mean' time,  had  .' r ranged  his  retreat,  with 
the  view  of  sweeping  both  banks  of  the  Teche.  The  114th  New  York 
regiment,  under  Lieut.  Col.  Purlee,  Avhich  had  just  arrived  in  Opelousas, 
was  directed  to  encamp  on  a  plantation  below,  owned  by  a  gentleman 
then  in  the  military  service  of  the  State,  and  after  "cleaning  it  out,'" 
(we  use  the  elegant  language  of  Col.  Chiclcering-,)  to  |roceed  by  the 
right  bank  of  the  Teche  to  St.  Martinsville,  while  the  other  column 
■would  take  the  left.  His  preparations  were  accelerated  by  the  news 
of  the  rapid  advanae  of  the  Confederate  Cavalry  from  the  direction  of 
Texas,  under  Gen.  Mouton. 

From  Port  Barre,  eight  miles  froni  Opelonsas,  near  the  upper  Teche, 
commenced,  on  the  2 let  of  May  1863,  the  memorabls  Hegir.i,  which 
"will  always  occupy  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  annals  of  Opelousas  and 
Attakapas. 

As  the  fugitives  of  Damascus,  threatened  by  the  "Sword  of  G-od," 
"gathered  in  haste  and  terror  their  most  precious  movables,  and  aban- 
doned with  loud  lamentations  or  silent  anguish,  their  native  homes, 
and  the  pleasant  banks  of  the  Pharpharj"  so  the  poor  negroes,  the  vic- 
tims of  a  perfidy  of  which  the  fierce  ;''aracen  would  have  been  incapa- 
ble, abandoned  their  homes,  in  wild  disorder,  anrl  deep  despair  of  threat- 
ened calamity.  The  flight  down  the  Teche,  from  its  inception  to  its 
termination  at  Berwick's  Bay,  a  distance  of  a  .hundred 'miles,  was 
marked  by  visible  evidence  ot  disorder  and  despair,  in  abandoned  chil- 
dren and  infants  by  the  wayside,  thrown  from  their  mother's  arms  to 
perish,  or  to  find  some  stranger  hand  to  bestow  a  mother's  care.  In 
a  private  carriage,  taken  from  a  lady  living  near  Opelousas,  Col.  Chick- 
ering led  the  flight,  and  directed  its  movements.  A  few  miles  below 
Port  Barre,  Col.  Purlee,  by  a  detour  which  led  him  through  the  vil- 
lage of  Grand  Coteau  and  the  adjoining  plantations,  reached  the 
Teche.  On  the  Avay  he  had  admirably  fulfilled  his  mission,  by  effec- 
tually "cleaning  out,"  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  the  obnoxious  plan- 
tation; for  he  brought  with  him  every  living  thing,  and  every  movable 
attached  to  it^  and  as  twenty  of  the  negroes  subsequently  died  under 
Federal  treatment,  his>succes  wa?  complete.  On  his  route,  many  ne- 
groes, iuflnemced  by  the  alarm  already  spreading,  foil   into  t-ha  ciirreut 


£1 

and  swelled  its  mass,  so  as  to  make  no  mean  additiea  ts  th*  fltwiag 
stream  of  humanity  iu  which  it  was  disgorged. 

Above  St.  Martinsville,  situated  in  a  Parish  which  the  Federal  Pre*- 
ident  had  excepted  from  the  effects  of  his  Emancipation  Proclamation, 
is  the  large  estate  of  a  geutlemau,  descended  from  ancestors  who  settled 
in  Louisiana  under  the  Spanish  government,  and  distinguished  for  th« 
fine  abilities  and  social  qualities  which  adorned  the  high  horors  to 
which  he  has  been  elevated  in  this  ^tate.  In  the  alarming  crisis  which 
followed  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  he  relucantly  withdrew  from  an 
honorable  retirement,  to  represent  his  fellow-citizens  in  the  Conven- 
tion, which  was  to  decide  the  destinies  of  the  State.  Vindictive  ma- 
levolence could  not  pass  near  such  a  person  without  inflicting  injury; 
and  this  was  best  to  be  accomplished  by  forcing  from  the  master,  th» 
servants  who  had  been  attached  to  him  and  his  family,  from  their  in- 
fancy. Two  difficulties,  however,  must  have  suggested  themselves  t» 
Col.  Purlee'a  mind:  one,  the  implied  security  of  slave  property  heto, 
under  the  proclamation,  which  forbade  force;  tho  other,  the  apprehen- 
sion of  a  hostile  force  in  his  rear,  which  demanded  haste.  Chance 
solved  the  latter,  by  bringing  his  flying  column,  at  night-fall,  in  the 
neighborhood;  ho  provided  against  the  former,  by  going  with  his  regi- 
mant  over  the  bayou,  and  off  from  the  line  of  retreat,  to  encamp  one  night 
among  thn  negro  cabins  of  tho  estate.  The  result  may  be  imagined: 
Col.  Purloe  joined  Col.  Chickering  at  St.  Martinsville,  with  another 
mass  of  human  beings,  led  like  victims  to  the  slaughter.  But  before 
his  departure,  a  scene  occurred,  highly  illustrative  of  the  conduct  of 
the  Federals  in  their  ereption  of  the  slaves.  An  aunt,  belonging  to  a 
neighboring  plantation,  who  had  joined  in  the  flight,  taking  a  fancy  to 
carry  with  her  a  little  niece,  whose  mother  was  absent,  and,  failing  to 
persuade  her,  appealed  to  the  Federal  officers  to  apply  force.  The 
child  flew  for  protection  to  the  residence  of  the  manager  of  the  estate, 
and  impelled  by  a  natural  impulse,  clung  to  the  dress  of  the  lady  of 
tho  house,  and  in  piteous  accents  implored  her  to  save  her.  The  sym- 
pathetic impulses  of  the  manager  prompted  him  to  interpose  his  pcrsou, 
at  the  risk  of  his  life,  against  the  first  military  intruders,  who  sought 
to  enter  his  house,  to  tear  the  child  away.  Col.  Purlee,  being  informed 
of  the  position  of  affairs,  came  in  person,  and  with  pistol  in  hand,  rush- 
ing into  the  house,  he  tore,  with  his  own  hand,  the  screaming  girl  from 
the  protection  of  the  lady,  and  carried  her  away. 

The  sensibilities  of  the  few  remaining  inhabitants  of  New  Iberia 
were  excited  by  another  scene  more  aggravated  in  its  character,  be- 
cause its  consequences  involved  higher  degrees  of  crime.  The  robust 
malws  of  the  negro  families  here,  caught  in  the  Federal  toils,  were  rude- 
ly torn  from  their  mothers  aud  wives  and  children,  who  parted  from 
them  with  loud  lamentations,  and  claimed  them  aa  the  only  protectors 
the  boon  of  freedom  had  left  them.  These  men  were  forced  into  th» 
Federal  ranks,  unwilling  soldiers,  to  serve  in  a  causa  they  did  not  ap- 
pre©iat.«,  against   those  wi*l»  wh©a»  th«y  H^d  jeiatd    in  fh«  sports  ef 


52 

childhood,  with  whom  they  had  enjoyed  in  manhood  the  reciprocal  re- 
lations of  provident  care  and  attached  obedience;  and  to  take  up  armn 
against  those  with  whom  they  had  enjoyed  all  the  sympathetic  rela- 
tions of  every  period  of  life. 

But,  impelled  by  the  alarm  from  the  rear  that  the  rebels  were  oix  its 
track,  thirsting  for  vengeance,  the  flying  caravan  came  plunging  in 
with  accelerated  haste.  On  the  eitate  below  New  Iberia,  where  a  de- 
pot had  been  established,  and  a  provost  guard  installed,  around  the 
mansion  we  have  already  described,  in  the  dead  hour  of  night  there 
was  a  beat  to  arms,  while  the  bell  pealed  forth  loud  summoaft  to  the  ne- 
groes of  the  neighboring  plantations.  They  gathered  by  hundred^. — '■ 
Provoked  already  by  terrifying  alarnjs  and  excited  to  phrenzy  by 
the  reflection  that  the  ties  which  had  hitherto  bound  theia  Ware  rudely 
severed,  their  barbarous  instincts  were  further  inflamed  by  liberal  dis- 
tributions of  whiskey.  Soon  their  conduct  knew  no  bounds;  in  crowds 
they  swayed  about  the  house,  animated  by  a  raving  and  incontrollable 
fury,  and  uttering  shrieks  of  demoniacal  rage.  The  ladies  of  the  fami- 
ly, like  the  gentle  flock  menaced  by  the  howling  wolf,  huddled  togeth- 
er in  an  upper  lOom,  in  agonies  of  suffering,  and  uttering  prayers  for 
their  deliverance — for  it  seemed  to  then^  that  God  alone  could  save 
hem.  The  venerable  lady  of  the  mansion,  who  had  borne  up  under  sa 
many  scenes  of  horror,  succumbed  to  this;  she  was  borne  by  her  sor- 
rowing children  to  the  bed,  from  which  her  remains  were  soon  earned 
to  that  tomb.  Which  had  before  been  so  sacrilegiously  violated.  The 
hurrying  flight  of  the  retreating  army  only  spared  this  devoted  family 
from  tfce  barbaric  rage  of  an  infuriated  multitude,  who  in  a  moment,  a» 
it  were,  under  Federal  influeace,  had  extinguished  in  their  bosoms  the 
civilizing  influences  of  a  century.  Retreating  in  all  the  disarray  of  a 
beaten  and  pursued  host,  the  Federal  caravan  hardly  suspended  its 
flight  for  rest  or  sleep,  until  it  reached  the  Bay,  under  the  protection  of 
the  gunboats. 

The  remembrance  of  the  scenes  exhibited  in  this  flight,  will  lov^ 
live  in  the  memory  of  the  inhabitants  along  its  rouie.  It  was  a  mov- 
ing panorama  of  strange  and  incongruous  sights.  The  family  coaeh^ 
the  buggy,  the  village  hack,  and  the  caleche,  mingled  with  huge  cane- 
wagons,  village  wagons,  creaking  ox-carts,  bread-carts,  and  the  small 
carts  of  the  plantations,  drawn  by  every  species  of  draft  animal,  hasti- 
ly caught  and  hastily  attached,  were  loaded  with  huge  piles  of  clothing 
and  bedding,  in  which  sat  and  clung  a  squalid,  filthy,  dust-begrimed, 
anxious  looking  multitude  of  human  beings.  These  vehicles  were  driv-  ^5 
en  and  goaded  on  by  impatient,  sweating  and  terrified  drivers,  by 
whose  sides  were  men,  women  and  children,  by  ones,  twos,  and  threes, 
mounted  on  plantation  mules  just  from  the  plow,  and  on  ponies  freshly 
caught  from  the  prairies,  spurring  and  beating  on  these  exhausted 
creatures,  in  heated  haste.  Stalking  along  by  the  side  of  the  road 
were  men  bearing  bundles,  women  with  infants  in  their  arms — despair 
depicted  in  their  faces.    Boys  and  girls  followed  along,  dodging  from 


53 

time  to  time,  vitb  yoathful  dexterity,  among  the  panting  animal*,  to 
^et  a  ride  on  »ome  over-burthened  beast,  or  CRtch  a  lift  on  tbe  project- 
ing parts  of  the  groaning  vehicles.  The  scorching  sun  was  sending 
down  his  most  ardent  rays;  and  a  dense  cloud  of  dust  covered,  as  with 
a  pall,  the  sweltering  mass,  which  extended  eight  miles  over  a  closely 
packed  road.  Chiekering,  in  the  ndvance,  and  riding  in  state  in  his 
confiscated  carriage,  was  pressing  on;  and  Purleo  in  the  rear,  with  hi« 
faithful  114th,  pushing  forward,  rolled  the  heaving  congeries  irresistably 
along.  Like  some  dark  river  swollen  to  a  torrent,  and  sweeping  away 
with  its  inundating  waters,  the  flocks  and  the  herds,  and  the  buildings 
along  its  banks,  this  flood  of  animated  life  moved  along  its  course. — 
The  ravages  of  the  overflow  may,  however,  be  repaired;  the  husband- 
man may  replenish  his  storeP,  and  increase  his  flocks,  and  repair  his 
losses;  bat  can  the  grave  give  up  its  dead?  Of  the  tide  of  human  be- 
ings we  have  described,  two  thousand  perished  in  six  weeks.  Their 
shallow  graves  lie  along  the  waters  of  the  Ramos.  Scooped  out  with 
careless  indifference,  and  covered  with  indecent  haste,  they  were  only 
marked  by  swarms  of  fattened  flies,  living  on  the  putrid  matter  oozing 
through  the  loose  earth  above  them.  They  have  fouml  their  free- 
dom; such  freedom  as  God  vouchsafes  to  all  the  children  of  men. 

Ih  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of  June,  Gen.  Taylor,  in  command  of  the 
then  small  Confederate  force  of  this  District,  took,  by  a  coup -de-main, 
the  opposite  bank  of  Berwick's  Bay,  which  gave  him  the  command  of 
its  waters,  and  threw  open  to  his  occupation  the  country  watered  by 
the  Lafourche.  The  planters  of  these  Parishes  immediately  repaired 
to  the  captured  District,  in  search  of  their  lost  property.  Many,  fol- 
lowing the  army,  were  present,  and  crossed  with  it;  and  thus  had  an 
opportunity  to  witness  the  actual  condition  of  the  slaves,  the  moment 
they  passsed  from  the  Federal  hands. 

Seven  miles  fi-om  tliA  toVvnot  Brash  ear,  on  the  bank«  of  the  Bayou 
Bamos,  they  found,  a^^e  have  described,  the  graves  oi  the  dead;  the 
condition  of  the  liriHg,  as  they  found  them,  we  will  attempt  to  describe. 
Skirting  the  bayou,  in  a  thicket  of  undergrowth  and  briars,  were  en- 
camped, without  shelter,  a  wretched,  death-gtricken  crowd  of  human 
beings,  who.  but  a  few  short  weeks  before,  had  been  driven  from  their 
homes  full  of  the  rigor  of  health,  and  overflowing  with  th«  exuberance 
of  animal  life,  and  now  were  dying  in  squalid  filth,  or  living  in  abject 
misery.  The  adjacent  thicket,  filled  with  the  decomposing  bodies  of 
those,  who,  dragging  themselves  thither,  and  falling  from  exhaustion, 
had,  unable  to  return,  died  there,  spread  over  the  camps  a  nauseous 
stench,  which  threatened  death  to  th»  survivors.  Crouched  to  the 
earth,  with  their  heads  sunk  between  their  knees,  or  lying  with  up- 
turned faces,  gaaing  vacantly  in  the  air,  the  poor  surviving  negroes 
were  moved  by  no  sympathies  for  the  sufferers  around  them.  Sunk  in 
despondency  and  despair,  or  oppressed  by  deadly  stupor,  they  not  only 
neglected  the  last  duties  to  the  dead,  but  they  regarded  with  stupid 
indifference  those  who  were  fallinjinto  the  jaws  of  death.     Many  wert 


»4 

< 

dying;  and,  like  the  living,  orerwhelmed  and  •ppressed,  thej  sought 
lio  relief;  thus  they  passed  away,  uttering  neither  moan  nor  sigh,  nor 
groau — without  mvurmnr,  without  complaint,  without  hope.  Many  gen- 
tlemen had  come,  animated,  perhaps,  by  some  vindictive  feeling, 
against  those  slaves,  who,  in  leaving,  had  carried  oflf  some  of  the  mova- 
bles of  the  plantation.  Standing  here  in  the  midst  of  these  ban-owing 
scenes,  their  vindictiveness  melted  away  in  their  tears.  The  strong 
man,  unused  to  weeping,  could  not  stifle  his  emotions;  the  less  stoical, 
unnerved  and  unmanned,  giving  way  to  his  natural  sympathy,  wept 
like  a  child.  It  wa«  afterwa:  ds  remarked,  that  even  hard  men,  who 
found  their  slaves  on  neighboring  plantations,  softened  by  so  many  ex- 
hibitions of  destitution,  suffering  and  death,  met  them  with  the  feelings 
of  a  father,  and  welcomed  the  return  of  the  prodigal  son.  Whilst  sad- 
ly contemplating  this  sorrowful  spectacle,  whispered  files  of  horrors 
passed  among  the  surrounding  groups,  and  they  shudderingly  drew  to- 
gether", as  if  their  heaving  bosoms,  oppressed  by  horrid  sensations, 
could  only  be  relieved  by  sympathetic  contact.  Every  eye  turned  in- 
stinctively to  the  sugar  house,  standing  near  by,  as  if  to  penetrate  its 
mysteries.  Soon  the  door  was  approached  by  persons  whose  curiosity 
overcame  their  repugnance;  but  most  of  them  recoiled  at  the  first  view. 
Only  a  few  entered,  for  the  purposes  of  close  examination.  The  mys- 
teries of  the  sugar  house,  we  will  leave  another  to  explain. 

Dr.  George  Hill,  a  distinguished  physician  and  surgeon  of  Opelous- 
as,  whose  nerves  had  been  fortified  by  an  active  professional  practice 
fof  forty  years,  has,  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  furnished  us  with 
a  statement  of  what  he  witnessed.  We  copy  the  essential  portions  of 
his  communication: 

"In  the  summer  of  1863,  Berwick's  Bay  and  a  portion  of  the  La- 
"fourche  country  were  taken  possession  of  by  the  Confederate  army. 
*'  I,  with  many  others,  who  had  lost  their  property  by  the  raid  which 
■"  the  Federal  army  had  made,  between  the  20th  of  April  and  the  20th 
"of  May,  of  this  year,  visited  the  Bay  for  the  the  purpose  of  recovering 
-"  our  property.  I  was  among  the  first  who  crossed  the  Bay;  and  hav- 
'"  ing  been  informed,  on  the  night  of  my  arrival,  by  a  gentleman  of  the 
■"  name  of  March,  that  I  had  lost  several  negroes  at  the  sugar  house  of 
^* Dr.  Saunders,  and  that  others  were  there  in  a  dying  condition,  in 
"the  morning,  as  soon  as  a  horse  could  be  obtained,  I  proceeded  to  the 
"  sugar  house  of  Dr.  S.,  and  entered  it  by  a  door  in  the  west  end. — 
"Tlw  scene  which  then  and  there  presented  itself,  can  never  be  effaced 
"from  my  memory.  On  the  right  hand  side  of  the  Purgery  floor,  from 
''  where  I  stood,  lay  three  female  corpses  in  a  state  of  nudity,  and  also 
"  in  a  far  advanced  stage  of  decomposition.  Many  others  were  lying 
**  all  over  the  floor;  many  speechless  and  in  a  dying  condition.  Alt 
"appeared  to  have  died  of  the  same  disease — bloody  flux.  The  floor 
"  was  slippery  with  blood,  mucus  and  fceces.  The  dying,  and  all  those 
"  unable  to  help  themselves,  were  lying  with  their  scanty  garments  roll- 
"  pi.  ar«m«d  their  l»»a«l«  and  breasts — fefei  l«w»v  part  ©f  tlio   body  na- 


§6 

"k«d — and  erery  tim«  an  involuntary  discharge  of  blood  and  faeces, 
"combined  with  air,  would  pass,  making  a  slight  noise,  clouds  of  flies, 
•*  such  as  I  never  saw  before,  would  immediately  rise  and  settle  down 
•*  again  on  all  the  exposed  parts  of  the  dying.  *  *  In  passing 
"through  the  house,  a  cold  chill  shook  my  frame,  from  which  I  did  not 
"recover  for  several. months,  and,  indeed,  it  came  near  causing  my  life. 
*.•  •  •  •  •  *  * 

"As  I  passed  from  the  house  I  met  with  a  negro  man  of  my  own,  who 
"informed  me  that  he  had  lost  his  wife  and  two  children.  1  asked  him 
"if  his  friends,  the  Yankees,  had  not  furnished  him  with  medicine.  He 
"said  ']S'o,  and  if  they  had,  I  would  not  have  given  it  to  my  family, 
"  'as  all  who  took  their  medicine  died  in  twelve  hours  from  the  time  of 
"  'its being  givem*-" 

This  deposition  having  been  read  to  Dr.  Saunders,  the  proprietor  of 
the  sugar  house  iu  question,  and  now  a  representative  of  St.  Mary  in 
the  State  Senate,  ho  declared,  that  while  it  was  faithful  in  the  general 
description,  it  did  not  exhibit  all  the  hcrvors  of  the  scone;  as  before 
ilit  arrival  of  Dr.  Hill,  he  had  caused  many  dccor^iposcd  bodies  that 
filled  the  coolers  to  be  removed  and.  interred.  A  hundred  others  would, 
if  necessai-y,  add  their  testimony  to  that  of  these  genth^men. 

There  were  other  places  on  tlio  island  where  the  poor  wretches  were 
bivouacked,  all  presenting  the  same  scenes  of  squalid  misery.  On  the 
representation  of  the  gentlemen  who  witnessed  them,  the  Confederate 
officer  in  charge  of  the  posit,  moved  by  a  manly  sympathy,  immediately 
put  in  requisition  his  military  transports,  then  pressingly  needed  for 
the  military  service,  and  had  all  the  poor  creatures  removed,  under 
proper  medical  superintendence,  to  a  more  salubrious  place  on  the 
Teche,  where  they  could  receive  proper  attention,  with  pure  water  and 
wholesome  food.  Had  not  this  been  promptly  done,  it  is  the  opinion 
of  the  medical  men  present,  that  every  soul,  amounting  to  many  hun- 
dreds, would  have  perished. 

Penetrating  into  the  interior,  and  spreading  in  every  direction,  the 
planters  found  their  negroes  distrit  uted  among  the  plantations,  through 
an  extent  of  more  than  a  hundred  miles  of  couutiy.  Dismembered 
fragments  of  families  were  found  recklessly  scattered,  without  regard 
to  affinities  or  family  ties.  One  of  your  Commissioners  found  two 
children  under  ten  years  of  age  separated  from  their  parents.  He  sub- 
sequently learned,  that  while  the  father  had  been  taken  for  the  army, 
the  mother  had  been  thrown  upon  a  plantation  below  the  city  of  New 
Orleans.  He  found  a  mother  with  two  children,  who  had  been  separa- 
ted from  one,  a  little  girl  aged  eleven  ;  and  he  subsequently  learned 
that  she  was  living  with  a  free  mulatto  family  opposite  that  city.  He 
ascertained,  beyond  doubt,  that  all  the  aged,  all  the  infants,  and  many 
of  the  smaller  children  taken  from  his  plantation  had  perished.  Sub- 
sequently he  learned  the  sad  history  of  one  of  the  families.  The  father 
and  mother  had  lived  happily  together  through  many  years  of  married 
life.     They  k»d  bwa  *»pows»d  in  thsiv  youth,  aod  lived  to  see  grow  up 


50 

Mcwnd  them  a  family  of  six  children — the  eldest  of  whom  had  already 
attained  the  age  of  manhood.  This  family  had  been  taken  from  th« 
plantation  with  the  others  we  have  mentioned,  ajid  within  the  short 
space  of  three  months  from  the  time  of  their  departure,  five  of  the  chij* 
dren  occnpied  negjlected  graves,  the  father  and  son  had  b«en  pressed 
into  the  Federal  service,  and  the  wretched  mother  was  found  living  with 
a  mulatto  man  at  Algiers.  The  experience  of  your  Oommisaiouer  has 
been  th«  experience  of  hundreds.  Every  planter  who  lost  slaves,  has 
an  analagous  tale  to  tell.  The  cabins  of  every  government  plautatioa 
Were  found  containing  some  of  the  living,  while  the  adjacent  field* 
were  marked  by  the  graves  of  many  of  the  dead.  Tl^e  masters  took 
the  survivors  to  tiieii-  homes,  where  they  nourished  and  resuscitated 
them  ;  and  then,  they  too  had  their  talea  to  tell !  Living  in  the  midst 
of  this  simple  race,  and  knowing,  as  we  do,  that  their  habits  of  mind, 
regulated  more  by  impulse  than  reason,  render  their  evidence  extremely 
doubtful  when  their  feelings  are  enlisted,  we  reluctantly  allude  to  the 
voluntary  witness  they  have  borne.  But  the  Federalists,  during  .their 
occupation  of  the  country,  attached  the  highest  importance  to  this  kind 
of  testimony ;  and  it  is  but  right  that  they  should  have  the  benefit  of 
aU  the  evidence  elicited  on  this  subject.  The  negroes  recaptured  ou 
the  Lafourche  and  at  Berwicks  Bay  in  July,  1863,  almost  unanimously 
declare  that  tlie  Yankees  poisoned  the  aged,  the  infirm,  and  the  infants! 
While  we  reject  the  competency  of  such  testimony,  as  do  our  courts  of 
judicature,  we  will  add  that  we  know  the  negroes  religiously  believe 
what  they  state. 

Two  thousand  negroes  fell  victims  to  the  perfidy  of  the  enemy  wilhia 
the  short  space  of  six  weeks.  The  flight  commenced  from  Fort  Barre 
on  the  21st  of  May ;  on  the  2i)th  of  June  Gen,  Taylor  crossed  Berwick's 
Bay ;  the  planters  and  proprietors  of  slaves  crossing  immediately  after, 
found,  after  diligent  search  and  enquiry  on  cprnparing  notes,  that  this 
number  had  already  died.  In  his  cruel  treatmeBt,  and  in  his  agony, 
the  poor  negro  might  well  have  cried  with  the  psalmist : 

"Bow  thy  Heavens,  O  Jehovah,  aad  come  down:  touch  the  moun- 
" tains,  and  they  shall  smoke:  cast  forth  lightning  and  scatter  them^: 
"  shoot  out  thine  arrows,  and  destroy  them :  send  thine  hand  from  above : 
"rid  me  and  deliver  me,  out  of  the  great  waters,  from  the  Tmnd  of  strange 
^* children;  tchosi  mouth  apeaketh  vanity,  and  their  right  hand  is  a  hand 
"  of  falsehood." 

Many  of  the  facts  enumerated  in  the  preceding  pages,  though  repug- 
nant to  the  usages  of  civilized  warfare,  and  offensive  to  the  moral  sense 
of  mankind,  have  not  only  not  been  disavowed  by  the  enemy,  but  have 
been  published  for  the  approbation  of  the  New  England  public.  We 
have  before  us  a  pamphlet  published  in  Boston,  by  the  officers  of  the 
41st  Massachusetts  regiment,  commanded  by  Col.  Chickering,  which 
contains  the  military  diary  of  that  officer,  and  a  letter  of  Gen.  Banks 
recommending  him  for  promotion,  for  the  very  services  whicfi  desolated 
Opelouaas  and  Attakapaii.    We  insert  here  such  portions  of  it  »»  seers^ 


#7 

most  pertinent  tn  the  subject  of  our  report.  This  rogiment  was  claimed 
by  tliK  ppoplp  of  Boston,  as  a  reprepHiitativp^  regiiiiHiit.  It  was  org  n- 
ized  out  ol  ihr  b('»Jt  materials  fur  tli«.\vork  bot'ore  it,  and  was;  ushered 
upon  its  career  of  lieeiiliousness  and  ji!uii<!er,  iu  the  mi.ist  of  nbe  xnMst 
niagiiilioent  li.enionstrolinii.-^  ot  the  uietiopolis  of  M  ipsachu-^etls.  After, 
re;Hlii])g  J^ouisiaii;\,  buiiiing  a  few  bridj^es,  ^iikI  iitteinjitiug  to  destroy 
tile  sail  wnrks  near  jSew  Iljeri.i,  w(i  louml  it  at  Opeloiisas,  wliere  it  ar- 
rived on  the^Oihot  April.  1863.  This  clinmiele  says:  "On  the  20tli, 
•'Col.  Chickeriiig  was  uppo  med  Military  ••overnor<if  Opelonsas,  and 
"the  regiment  assigned  to  provost  duty,  AND  Ti^B  c  Li-KrTlu.N  of  the 
"VALL'AI-LK  PKODIICTS  oF  THK  C  UVTRY.  Lieutenant  Colouel  Sargent 
"was  npjiointed  Provost  Maisli;»l,  ;ind  Major  Viual  assumed  couiiUanJ 
"gf  the  regiuieut.  R(  maiued  in  ()|i(dous;is  tid  May  11,  18(J3,  wlieii 
"Col.  Chifkeriug,  wiili  liu.^  troo|)S  at  Opeious;is,  were  ordered  to  Bane's 
"Landing,  there  to  establish  a  Post  and  Military  De(»ot  for  supjdies  ta 
"the  ninetei^udi  Army  Corps,  theu  al  Alexandria.  Louisi.inn,  and  Col-, 
"onel  (.'hitkeiing  app(nnte(l  commandant  of  ihn  ]iost,",with  a  f(»rcH  of 
'•sevt^i  n  giuieni.s  of  in  anlry,  the  41st  Mounted  lliHes,  ana  a  sectiou 
"of  Kitn'is  Artillery.  Wuiie  at  Opelousa:**  tlie4lst  were  converted  into 
"a  II  fiiuieiii  ol  mounted  rilies,  pror.idhig  t/nir  own  hor-se-t  from  the  sur- 
"rounding  covntnj,  and  drawinu'  liorse  ecjuipmeuts  n-)m  Bane's  Land- 
"iug.  During  the.  li'rin  of  duty  of  the  4L>t  at  Dpidou.sns  and  Birra's 
"J.,anding,  they  COLJ-KC'IED  and  sont  to  New  Orleans,  via  Brasliear, 
"upwards  of  six  ihouaand  hales  of  cotton,  largi'  quantities  ftf  sugar  and 
"moL.sycs,  at'd  other  products  of  the  countrij,"  ;iiiies,  veji.cleo,  silv.  r 
phiti',  jewelry,  ^:c  ,|  'Uind  at  least  ten  thousrnd,  'contraband s,'  men,  wo- 
"men  and  children,  'Yo  Wuitif  'I'Hk  G  VI-;k.\mi-,\t  pla.xtatio.ns  I.\  the 
"Lafouhciik  coi'.NTKV.  The41sl  Set  all  the  corninills  in  operation,- 
'•fnruisliing  ifirge  quantities  of  meal  to  the  troop.s  and  iidiabitants,  and 
"feeding  the  'contrabainls.'  Tliey  established  a  fr****  market  for  the 
"benefit  of  the  poor  iidiabitants,  re-npened  ilie  jnantiiig  olhce,  and  issued 
"a   daily    p-iper."  »***«»  "The  troops 

"at  Barrc's  Lauding  left  that  point  on  tho  morning  of  May  2lst,  1863, 
"at  «lay-bieak,  under  command  of  Colon  1  Cuickering,  with  a  train  of 
^'nrniy  wagons,  'contrabands,'  &-c  ,  f-xtending  fiv*;  miles  in  length,"  [H11-- 
ed  up  afterwards  by  Purlee's  accessions  and  ctliHr'coiitrabands  so  as 
to  extend  eight  miles. J  "consisting  of  /?//■//  best  arniij  wagorts.  Jive 
"hundred  emigrant  wagons,  with  about  six  thousand,  negroes,  and.  a  large 
"  drore  of  horses,  mules,  and  heef,  guarded  by  the  4l6t  Kegiment  ?douiit- 
"ed  Rifles  in  advance,  with  a  flank  and  rear  guard  of  seven  regiments 
"of  iid'antry,  and  a  section  of  artillery.  '1  be  troops  and  train  march- 
"ed  down  the  ea-^terly  bank  of  the  Teche,  via  Leonville,  Braux  Bridge, 
"to  St.  Martinsville;  thence  crossing  the  Teche,  continued  down  the 
"western  bank  via  New  Iberia,  Fratddin,  Pattersonville  and  Center- 
"  ville  to  Berwick — arriving  at  the  latter  city  at  day-bivak,  on  the  26th 
"of  May,  1S63,  after  a  march  of  one  hundred  an.]  ten  tniles  in  five  days, 
"  bringing  in  the  whole  Caravan  t^ain  in  safijty."     This  diary  or  chron- 


li 

icle  elowB  Jnn«  17th,  1863,  leaving  the  reglni«ui  \^>  ►j«.  .^rtgiiuorbood 
of  Port  Hudson.  It  has  the  merit  of  entire  faithfulnt^ss  of  representa- 
tion. We  observe  in  it  but  few  errors,  atid  only  one  important  omis- 
eion;  and,  as  there  is  no  attempt  to  conceal  either  motive  or  fact,  this 
occurred  no  doubt  in  the  rapidity  of  narration.  The  chronicle  omits 
to  mention  that  nearly  five  hundred  private  carriages  (including  every 
description  of  vehicles  of  luxury  and  convenif-nce)  were  taken  from  the 
citizens  of  St.  Landry,  most  ot  which  went  down  with  the  ''caravan 
train." 

In  reviewing  this  diary,  conversant  as  we  are  with  the  facts,  we  can- 
not but  be  diverted  at  the  vein  of  facetionsness  which  runs  through  it. 
"Bardolph,  Nym,  and  Pistol,"  the  Page  says,  "will  steal   anything, 

and  call  it  purchase."     The   41st  Massachusetts  only  collects  ! 

But  the  application  of  the  terms  "Contraband,"  "Emigrant  wagons,^* 
and  "Caravan,"  to  the  poor  negro  and  his  exodus,  has  a  grim  signifi- 
cance, which,  under  the  circumstances,  strikes  one  as  did  the  grin  of 
the  skeleton  chained  bolt  upright  in  an  oubliette  of  Mont  St.  Michel. 
Undoubtedly  this  narration  proved  agreeable  to  the  people  of  Massa- 
chusett?,  who  saw  their  peculiar  notions  of  ethics  and  philanthropy,  so 
extensively  carr.ed  into  practice  by  their  representative  reginjent,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  distinguished  "Military  Governor  ot  Opelousas." 
To  show  that  M'e  are  not  disposed  to  judge  rashly,  we  append  a  letter 
from  the  representative  General  of  Massachusetts,  which  we  find  in  the 
chronicle : 

"Headquarters  Departmeivt  of  the  Gulf,  \ 
"New  Orleans,  July  29,  1863.  J 

"Honorable     •     •     •     •     • 

"  Dear  Sir :  I  take  great  pleasure  in  coramraending  to  your  favor 
"Col.  Thomas  E.  Chickering,  of  the  Forty-first  Massachusetts  Volun- 
**  teers.  Colonel  Chickering,  in  his  term  of  command  in  this  depart- 
"  ment,  has  rendered  to  the  Government  distinguished  and  important 
"  services.  His  regiment  has  been  among  the  most  faithful  and  eflScient 
"  of  the  army,  always  prompt  and  fearless,  appearing  in  full  strength, 
**  ready  for  any  duty.  It  is  impossible  that  this  should  have  been  its 
"  invariable  character  except  for  the  most  thorough  and  honorable' 
"  attentions  to  his  duties  as  its  commander.  In  addition  to  this,  which 
"high  praise  is  deserved  in  this  instance,  he  has  well  performed  the 
"  very  diflBcult  and  important  duties  which  have  been  constantly  com- 
"  mitted  to  him.  No  city  (!)  in  possession  of  our  Government  has  been 
"  subjected  to  a  wiser  or  -more  just  rule  than  the  city  of  Opelousas  while 
"  Col.  Chickering  was  its  Military  Governor.  It  was  to  his  untiring 
"energy  and  activity  that  we  were  en  ibled  to  coVect  the  products  of  the 
**c<nintry,  a  part  of  which  vere  sent  to  Boston  (! !)  as  you  will  remember 
•♦for  the  benefit  of  the  Government. 

"  Upon  moving  our  small  column  across  the  Mississippi,  for  th»  re- 
^ductiottQfiPort  HudsoDf  he  was  charged  with  the  safe  conduct  eftJw^ 


<•  train— o/"  nearly  a  thousand  tcagons,  embracing  our  whole  frantporta- 

'*  f/on,  wliirli  il  ivas  iinpce'sibltj  to  move  .ncioss  tlie  riwr, — to  New  Or- 
*♦  infills.  I  lejifud*  (1  rh  ?afe'y  of  our  train  as  tlin  guage  of  our  surcett 
»*  ill  tin- cairiiaign.  It  was  b»iij;lit  m  without  tlie  los-s  of  a  wagon, 
'•sltvr  a  kif.jtli  <  f  orif  hunthcd  and  fifty  miles  ihrough  a  country  occu* 
"j>i«-dby  iJif  »^«ieii;y's  cjivnliy.  '1  his  succes^s  reflects,  as  do  all  his 
*•  oilier  fiffii'ial  .lets,  tlio  liighe  t  credit  upon  Col.  Chickering  as  an 
■"  ofl5c*r  of  fidelity,  capacity  and  patriotism.  (!)  Unhesitatingly  1  can 
*'  sny  (bat  be  is  well  qualified  for  higher  duties  and  position  than  that 
"  he  now  so  honorably  tills." 
♦•  I  ain,  very  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  "  N.  P.  BANKS,  M.  G.  0." 

There  is  a  material  discrepancy,  it  will  be  perceived,  between  the 
statement  of  Gen.  Banks  tliat  thi»  train  consisted  of  "a  thousand 
wagons,"  ajid  that  of  Col.  Chickering  in  his  diary,  fixing  his  transporta- 
tion at  *•  fifty  army  wagons."  'i"he  former  doubiless  intended  to  in- 
clude what  the  latter  denominated  "emigrant  wagons,"  and  which 
fonwd  thfi  largest  part  of  his  transportation  for  the  "caravan."  It 
was  theivfore  not  the  battles  he  had  fought,  and  the  armies  he  had  con- 
quered, that  Gon.  Banks  regarded  "as  the  p^uage  of  his  success;"  but 
the  safe  arrival  of  the  vehicles  laden  with  the  negroes  and  the  rich 
plunder  "collected"  in  Opelousas  and  Attakapas.  In  reference  to  the 
wise  <.nd  jusf  rule  of  the  Military  Governor  of  Opelousas,  it  may  not 
be  impi"oper  to  observe  that  the  usual  population  of  this  "city  "  was 
about  1500,  but  owing  to  the  removal  of  many  of  its  inhabitants  the 
number  was  reduced  to  much  less  than  a  thousand,  when  its  affairs 
were  so  ably  administered  by  the  dislinguished  commander  of  the  4l3t 
Ma8.<^chusetts. 

We  have  been  instructed  by  your  Excellency  to  report  "any  special 
acts  of  kindness  that  may  have  been  done  to  our  citizens  by  Federal 
officers  or  soldiers,  with  the  name,  rank,  &c ,  of  those  who  acted  thus 
creditably."  Animated  by  the  same  feeliujy  that  prompted  your  Ex- 
cellency to  "hope  for  the  honor  of  humanity  that  some  such  instances 
might  be  reported,"  we  have  made  dilligent  enquiries  on  the  subject. 
"We  have  found  occasional  instances  of  Federal  officers  evincing  a  dis- 
position to  protect  the  suffering  citizen  and  to  alleviate  his  condition  ; 
but  powerless  to  extend  adequate  relief,  the  disposition  has  only  been  • 
shown  in  ineffectual  attempts,  or  in  words  of  sympathy.  We  have 
found  some  rare  instances  where  Federal  officers  were  polite  and  cour- 
teous, and  where  they  have  manifested  a  proper  appreci  tion  of  the 
legitimate  services  of  the  army,  and  a  desire  to  extend  the  utmost  pro- 
tection to  non-combatants  ;  but  in  these  instances  they  requested  that 
their  names  should  not  be  mentioned,  as  they  would  be  oubji  cted  to 
the  censure  nf  their  superior  officers,  or  quietly  relieved  of  their  com* 
oaads.    T^  ([Qptuoea  of  war  nxay  fguj^i  oring  theq^into  the  «ouati-jr» 


iihd  oor  silence  will  befit  serfure  their  future  kind  offices  in  the  Telirf  of 
the  oppressed. 

■  111  concluding  nnr  report,  T5'e  may  be  permitted  to  indulge  in  some 
brief  n-fli'Ctions  Aviiich  the  subject  pu,i;gests.  In  every  stage  of  the 
world's  histnrj'  we  inay  nndonbtedly  find  enacted  scenes,  similar  to 
those  we  have  d(^scriled  :  "theie  is  nothing  new  under  tliti  sun."  But 
it  has  been  reserved, to  our  enemies  to  conduct  a  w. a',  professedly  to 
restore  jrUnion  foiiiided  on  comuact  and  the  consent  of  the  governed, 
•with  all  the  bitterness  and  rancor  which  characterize  wars  undertaken 
to  gratify  the  passion  of  conquest,  the  d<sire  for  booty,  ar-d  the  thirst 
f»:r  revenge  ;  to  par' llel  the  crimes  of  all  ages  and  times,  without  ex- 
hibiting many  of  the  virtues  which  have  accompanied  in  their  war- 
fare the  most  barbarous  of  the  ancient  and  the  most  embittered  of  the 
moiieru  nations;  to  shock  the  sensibilities  of  mankind  by  desecrating 
the  sanctuary  and  disturbing  the  repose  of  the  dead  ;  and  to  violate 
■  the  good  faith  practiced  alike  by  tlie  suvage  and  the  infidel. 

If  tile  IMohammedans,  iiresenting  the  alternative  of  the  Koran  or 
tribute,  fomid  believing  Christians  to  dissemble  their  faith  for  a 
moment;  if,  in  the  middle'ages,  the  chivalry  of  Normandy  and  Brit- 
tany swore  alleg^ahce  to  every  chief  who  alternately  occupied  their 
territory  ;  if,  in  the  Civil  Wars,  th^  landholders  of  "England  imitated 
the  facility  of  the  Vicar  of'  Bray,  and  afterwards  her  reverend  bishops 
risked  damnation  in  another  for  their  temporalities  in  this  worlds  and 
if.  in  recent  times,  the. haughty  Spaniard  took  refuge  under  Junot's 
oaths — thev  gave,  or  found  the  protection  that  the  sacrifice  demanded  : 
but  it  is  reserved  to  our  enemies  to  set  the  first  i  xample  of  breaking 
pliglited  faith  with  those  who  were  driven  to  seek  their  projection. 

In  the  early  part   of  the  sixth    century,    Alaric    sacked  Rome ;  h& 
pl;;ndered  the  nobles  of  their  gold  and  silver;  he  carried  ofii"  their  pre- 
cious articles  of  luxury    and  the  rich   furniture  of  their  palaces  ;   but 
he  spared  tiie  cliUrc!ies  and    all   those  who   were   sheltered    by    their 
sacred    precincts.      Gibbon    sa\'S :      "While    the   b;irbarians    reamed* 
through  the  city   in   quest   of  prey,  the   humble    dwelling  of  an  aged 
virgin,  who  had  devoted  her  life  to  the  service  of  the  altar,  was  for  ed' 
open  by  one  of  the  powerful  Goths.     He  immedi  ittdy  demanded,  though 
ill  civil  langinige,  all  the   gold    and   silver   in  iier  possessi)u,  and  was 
astonished  .-ittlie  readin 'ss  with  which  she  condu;:ted  him  to   a  spletf."' 
did  lioaid  of  m:;ssy  phite,  of  the  richest  materials  and  'he  m^st  curious 
workmanship.     The   barbarian   viewed   with  wonder   and  delight  this 
valuable  acquisition,  till  he  was  interrupted  by  a  sei  iolis  adiuonition  in 
the  following  words:     'There.'  said   she,  'are   the   consecrated  vessels 
belonging  to  St.  Peter:  if  yon  presume  to  touch  them  the  sacrilegious 
deed  will  remain  on  your  conscience,     for  my  prt,    I  dare  nut  k-ep 
what  I  am  unable  to  defend.'     The  Gothic  captain,  stiuck  with  reveren- 
tial awe,  <lesp)tched  a  maSsenger  to  infonn   the   king   of  the  treasure 
which  he  had  discovered,  and  received  a  peremptory  order  fl'pid  Alaric 
that  all  the  coiisecHfeied  plat«  and  ornaments  should  be  transported. 


61= 

>fhhout  dnmage  wr  delay,  to  iha  Church  of  the  Apostle.  From  th» 
extivmitv,  perhaps,  of  the  Quiiinal  hill  to  tie  distant  quarter  of  tli«* 
V.Htican,  a  mimeroiis  rletachiiK'nt  of  Goths,  inarching  in  order  of  battle- 
tiinuv;jli  tlie  principal  streets,  pfotecled  with  g-littering  arms  the  loiig^ 
tra  u  of  their  devout  companions,  who  bore  aloft  in  their  hai  ds  the 
sacred  VMSsels  of  jjold  and  .-;jlver;  and  the  mar;ial  shouts  of  the  barba- 
tians  were  miuj2;led  with  the  sound  of  relijjious  ])salmody.  From  all 
the  adjacent  houses  a  crowd  of  Christians  ha.-tened  to  join  this  edify- 
ing procession,  and  a  multitude  ol  fugitives,  without  disfinetiou  of  age, 
or  rank,  or  sex,  or  even  sect,  had  the  eood  fortune  to  escape  to  the  se- 
cure and  hospitable  sanctuary  <tf  the  VatTcan." 

In  the  seventh  century  the  people  (>f  the  Roman  Empire  trembled  at 
the  approach  of  the  Saracen,  who,  emerging  from  the  then  almost  un- 
known peninsula  of  Arabia,  was  carrying  Ids  conquering  arms  to  the 
w<;st,  along  the  southern  shon-s  of  the  Mediterranean.  Tlie  terror  that 
then  prevailed  has  come  down  to  our  times,  embodied  in  history  and 
song,  iuvestiii.g  the  n  .me  of  Saracen  Avith  vices  revolting  to  society 
and  attributes  repulsive  to  humanity,  i'et  tho  instructions  of  the  first 
Caliph,  Alnileker,  the  companion  of  the  Prophet,  to  Caled,  the  Sword 
of  God.  then  leading  the  army  to  its  encampment  amid  the  palm  groves 
and  by  the  gushing  iountains  of  Damascus,  might  not  be  thought  un- 
worthy of  an  age  in  which  it  is  pretended  that  society  is  regulated  by 
maxims  of  beiicvoleuce,  and  that  humanity  is  tempered  by  the  influ- 
ences of  Christianity.  "  Remember,"  said  the  successor  of  the  Prophet, 
"  that  }  on  are  always  in  the  presence  of  God,  on  the  verge  of  death, 
"  in  the  assurance  of  judgment,  and  the  hope  of  paradise.  Avoid  in- 
"  justice  and  oppression  ;  consult  with  your  brethren,  and  study  to 
*•  preserve  the  love  anii  confidence  of  your  tioops.  ^Vheu  you  fight  the 
■"  battles  of  the  Lord,  acquit  yourselves  like  men,  without  turning  your 
"  backs  ;  but  let  not  your  victf)ry  be  stained  with  the  blood  of  women  and 
■"  children.  Dcstroi/  tio  palm  trees,  nor  burn  any  fields  of  corn.  Cut 
"  down  no  fruit  trees,  nor  do  an>/  mischief  to  cattle,  only  such  as  you  kill 
*'  to  eat.  When  you  make  a  covenant  or  art  cle,  stan  1  to  U,  and  be  as 
**  good  as  your  ivord." 

ill  lije  seventeenth  century,  under  the  direction  of  the  French  ndnis- 
ier,  Louvois,  tho  army  of  Tnrenne  entered  and  devastated  the  Pala- 
tiHute.  The  intelligence  shocked  Europe,  and  called  down  upon  the 
perpetrators  of  the  act  the  animadversion  of  the  civilized  world.  It 
exp'.t^ed  to  iniamy  tlie  character  of  Louvois,  tarnished  the  laun-ls  of 
Tnrenne.  and  brcmght  upon  Louis  XIV  the  reproac.ies  of  mankind. 
The  chiv.-ilrous  French,  at  this  day,  would  gladly  expunge  thi.s  inef- 
faceable blot  from  the  lilies  of  Fratice. 

■  Li  the  ■bi'ginuing-  of  the  present  century  England  was  engaged  in 
war  with  France.  'I  he  long  continuance  of  this  war,  familiar  to  every 
reader  of  fiistory,  had  so  inllamed  the  passions  of  those  at  the  head  of 
the  respective  governments,  that  each  party  was  drawn  iato  acts  of  re- 
taliatiTO,  whi'.h,  in  iesB  oxcited  momeats,  were  found  riot  only  itn^rao- . 


63 

tieable  to  accomplish  the  ends  proposed,  but  contrarj  to  the  pnB^id  laiP'^ 
and  violative  O'  the  established  usagea  of  war.  Ainong  the  aLts-ot  re- 
taliation resorted  to  by  England  was  the  prohibition  of  tl>e  exportatioa 
of  Peruvian  bark  to  the  countries  occupied  by  the  French — a  pruhibi- 
tioH  ot  little  consequence  compared  with  the  i'ederal  practice  of  naakiog- 
all  medicines  contraband  of  war,  and  destroying  them  wherever  founa 
in  Confederate  possession.  Mr.  Allison,  the  eminent  English  hiatorian, 
who  leans  always  to  the  side  of  his  country,  expresses  hia  views  in 
condemnation  of  this  act,  and  which,  we  doubt  not,  are  now  the  view» 
of  all  intelligent  Englishmen.  "There  is,"  says  the  historiany  "one 
**  measure  on  the  part  of  the  British  government  connected  with  com^ 
'•  mercial  transactions,  however,  on  which,  from  the  very  outset,  a  de- 
"  cided  opinion  may  be  hazarded.  This  is  the  bill  introduced  by  Mr. 
**Percival,  and  which  passed  both  houses  of  Parliament,  f  ^r  prohibtt- 
"ing  the  exportation  of  Peruvian  bark  to  the  countries  occupied  hy 
*'  the  French  troops,  unless  they  took  it  with  a  certain  quantity  of 
'••  British  produce  or  manufactures.  This  was  a  stretch  of  hostility  un- 
-"  worthy  of  the  character  of  England,  and  derogatory  to  the  noble  afcti- 
♦'  tude  she  had  maintained  throughout  the  war.  No  excess  of  intem- 
"  peranee  or  violence  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  should  have  betrayed 
*•  the  British  government  into  such  a  measure,  which  made  war  not  oo 
'•  the  Frt^nch  emperor,  but  the  sick  and  wounded  in  his  hospitals." 

We  live  in  an  age  of  boasted  progress,  not  only  in  the  arts  which 
add  to  the  comforts  and  embellishments  of  life,  but  in  that  higher  civil- 
ization  which  elevates  the  religion  and  the  morals  of  the  human  race. 
Might  we  not  doubt  the  latter,  when  the  world  views  without  notice  or 
passes  without  censure  the  exhibition  of  vices  and  the  perpetration  of 
atrocities  inhibited  in  the  code  of  the  barbarian;  when  licentious  troops 
have  been  permitted  to  oppress  the  feeble,  to  make  war  upon  the  hos- 
pitals, to  burn  the  homesteads  of  women  and  children,  and  to  destroy 
the  moss-grown  trees  which  had  shaded  the  mansions  of  other  genera- 
tions; and  when,  added  to  these,  they  have  laid  unholy  hands  upon 
the  sanctuary,  and  wantonly  ravished  the  homes  of  the  dead,  without 
the  sensibility  to  shame  of  the  Englishman,  with  less  moderation  evea 
than  Louvois,  less  good  faith  than  the  Conqueror,  less  reverence  than 
the  Goth,  and  less  virtue  than  the  Saracen  ?  But  there  is  a  retribu- 
tion; and  we  cannot  doubt  the  great  and  universal  principle  which 
governs  mankind,  and  which,  in  good  time,  adjusts  the  jarring  elements 
set  in  motion  by  the  guilty  passions  of  men.  "Every  passion,"  says 
the  eminent  author  ot  the  History  of  Civilization  in  England,  "excites 
its  opposite.  Cruelty  to-day  produces  sympathy  to-morrow.  A  hatred 
of  injustice  contributes  more  than  any  other  principle  to  correct  tho 
inequalities  of  life,  and  to  maintain  the  balance  of  affairs.  It  is  this 
loathing  of  tyranny  which,  by  stirring  to  the  ianermost  depth  tha 
warmest  feelings  of  the  heart,  makes  it  imposMble  that  tyrftuoy  should 
«ver  fioally  succeed.  This,  in  sooth*  is  the  noble  side  of  oar  nature* 
Thit  U  that  {Murt  of  ui  Whi«ji«  stamped  wHIi^  CM^ik«  JMAUtyi  rfv^ii}* 


M 

its  Qivme  origin,  and,  pr<>vidmg  for  the  most  vital  contingencieB,  is 
our  surest  gaarant^^a  that  violence  shall  never  ultiiuately  triumph  ;  that, 
sooner  or  later,  despotism  shall  sihvaj's  be  OTHrthrovn.  htm)  ihnt  the 
great  and  permanent  iuterests  of  ihe  human  race  shall  never  be  injured 
by  the  wicked  couucils  of  unjust  men." 

We  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  the  highest  consideration,  your  Ex- 
cellency's obedient  servants, 

JOEN  G.  PRATT, 
JOHN  E.  KING, 

Special  Cammissiono^. 


RAPIDES  PAEISH. 

Beport  of  Honorable  Thorn  s  C,  Manning,  Associate 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Louisiana.  Federal 
Atrocities— Burning  and  Sack  of  Alexandria. 

Alkzandbia,  La.,  Deceoiber  22nd,  1864. 

To  His  Excellencv, 

Henry  W.  Allen,  Govebnob  : 

The  devastation  of  this  town  and  Parish  by  the  enemy  during 
the  occupation  of  last  spring  was  very  thorough.  Whether  madden- 
ed by  the  failure  of  their  campaign  in  it«  ultimate  purposes,  they 
determined  to  destroy  what  they  could  not  hold — or  whether  they 
only  pursued  here  the  policy  of  systematic  pillage  and  conflagration, 
which  their  Press  enforces  and  Ck)vemment  approves— it  is  bootless 
to  enquire.  I  shall  attempt  to  give  you  a  recital  of  a  portion  of  the 
oi'tragei  perpetrated  in  this  locality,  premising  that  my  narative  will 
Dot  be  as  full  as  the  facts  will  warrant.  There  are  two  reasons  for 
tnis.  Wh«n  a  man  has  passed  through  a  crashing  calamity,  his  sen- 
sibility becomes  in  a  degree  callous  and  hardened.  Each  successive 
blow,  more  severe  than  that  which  preceded  it, makes  him  oblivious 
of  lesser  suffering.  When  I  returned  to  this  town  on  it»  re-occupa- 
tion by  our  forces,  I  found  the  citizens  who  had  remained,  were  for- 
getful of  m  nor  incidents  oi  brutality;  their  whole  minds  being 
absorbed  to.  the  contemplatioa  of  the  last  and  crowning  act  of  infamy 
of  the  eaeiXLy-«tfafr  osaak^^tiiiaa  of  tk»  town.     Another  difficulty  in 


64 

fbe  way  is  the  indisposition  pf  the  people  to  give  information  in  an 
autheutic  form  of  the  condiK-.t  nf  tlie  cnomy,  since  tlK-y  fear  to  be' 
a^'ani  undt-r  his  domination,  and  tremble  li'st  his  vindictiveiiess  may 
s.ubj"ct  them  to  new  and  exaptional  sulfvrin;.^. 

Tiie  gnu buats  appeared  before  tlie  t(jwn  on  the  15'h  Marc"i,  and' 
were  soon  snccepded  bj' transports  conveying  llie  l^ih  and  ITt. 
corps  d'armee  of  U.  S.,  nnder  command  of  Geii.  A.  J.  Smitii,  from 
Fort  De  Uussy,  wliich  he  had  captnred  a  day  or  two  before.  License 
for  unlimited  pillage  vas  either  expressly  given  or  tacitly  pr.'rnrt ted 
them.  Roving  at  will  through  the  town,  entering  and  sacking  pri- 
vate houses  and  stores,  the  common  soldiery  hadimt  to  imitate  the 
conduct  of  their  officer  in  enacting  the  most  degMding  acts  of  dis- 
honorable meanness.  I  do  not  speak  hero  of  mere  pillage,  such  as 
breaking  and  smashing  the  contents  of  drug  stores,  or  gutting  dry 
goods  stores  and  such  like,  but  I  moan,  low  acts  of  theft  and  spolia- 
tion committed  upon  the  property  of  negroes.  A  Capt.  De  West,  of 
Mower's  division,  with  two  privates;  after  pilfering  sundry  inconsir 
erable  articles,  espied  a  silver  watch  on  the  p'^rsou  of  a  neg-ro  man. 
He  was  in  his  master's  yard,  watching  the  extraordinary  spectacle 
of  white  men  stealing  in  the  open  day,  little  dreaming  that  his  own 
watch  was  in  any  danger.  They  relieved  him  of  the  encumboi-ance 
very  speedily.     (Affidavit  No.  9.) 

•  Not  t^atisfied  with  theft,  they  proceeded  ir>  some  instances  to  the 
entire  demolition  of  houses.  A  charactefis>tic  instance  of  their  affec- 
tiiinatc  care  for  the  blacks  is  developed  in  affidavit  ^o,  4.  The 
affiint,  you  will  perceive,  is  a  free  negress.  She  owned  a  house,  in 
which  she  had  lived  over  twenty  years,  unmolested  and  unliarmi  d- 
During  that  lime  slie  had  accumulated  the  conveniencies,  aiid  etijoy. 
ed  the  comforts  of  house  keeping.  She  speaks  with  feeling  of  the 
loss  of  her  sheets,  table  cloths  and  looking-glasses,  her  knives,  forks 
aTid  plates.  Perhaps  I  shall  be  more  graphic  if  I  transcribe  her  own 
words.  "The  Yank(;es,"  says  tim  woman,  "  came  to  my  house  tiie 
tirst  day  they  entered  town,  and  commenced  stealing  my  poultry. 
On  seeing  me  they  asked  who  I  was.  I  told  tliem.  They  asked  m3 
who  my  master  was.  I  said  I  had  no  master,  that  I  was  a,  free  color-  • 
ed  woman.  They  said  I  lied  and  that  my  masrer  was  hid.  They 
commenced  pillaging  the  house,  taki:  g  out  my  knives  and  forks, 
plates,  and  table  cloths,  sheets,  and  looking  glasses,  and  then  palled 
down  mj'  house,  which  was  a  frame  house-  They  asked  me  who  the 
house  belonged  to.  I  told  them  it  belonged  to  me,  at  which  they 
cursed  me,  and  ealled  me  liar  again,  and  said  niggers  could  not  own  • 
property  in  the  South,  and  before  they  stopped  the  house  was  ch-an 
pulled  down,  and  even  the  biicks  taken  out  of  the  chimne}'.  My 
own  clothes,  and  my  daughter's,  a  grown  woman,  were  alt  taken  by 
them — among  them  some  merinos  and  lawns,  and  my  husband's  gold 
watch,  which  I  minded  more  than  the  clothes.  My  husband  has 
been  dead  two  years."    She   had  several   thousand  feet  pf  lumber, 


$5 

With  which  she  intended  to  improve  her  homestead,  but  they  chopped 
it  up,  and  stole  all  her  provisions,  not  leaving:  her  anything  what- 
ever. "  I  had  a  great  many  nice  things  in  my  house,  the  affidavit 
concludes,  in  the  house  keeping  way,  but  they  did  not  leave  me  a 
single  article." 

The  daughter  of  this  free  negress,  (Affidavit  No.  6),  went  on  the 
same  day  to  Gen.  Mower,  and  told  him  hie  soldiers  had  stolen  "  all 
her  clothes,  bonnets  and  jewelry."  She  got  no  satisfaction,  and 
made  no  further  effort  to  recover  them,  nor  did  she  get  back  any- 
thing ;  "  The  Yankees  said  we  should  not  have  our  things  back  ; 
that  they  knew  they  were  not  ours,  for  colored  people  were  not 
allowed  to  own  so  much  property  down  here.  *  *  *  I  went  to 
Col.  Shaw  and  told  him  the  Union  soldiers  had  killed  and  taken  away 
my  mother's  hog,  and  had  taken  all  of  her  provisions,  and  wanted 
him  to  give  me  some.  He  said  I  could  go  and  kill  some  ot  the  reb^ 
els'  hogs  ;  that  if  I  wanted  to  stay  down  here,  I  could  get  the  rebels 
to  feed  me." 

The  spoliation  of  the  negroes  was  in  other  instances  even  more  de- 
testable and  disgraceful  than  that  just  nipntioned — at  leant  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  it  was  efffCtHd.  The  negroes  always  hoard  specie.  Even 
in  ordinary  times  they  instinctively  prefer  gold  or  silver  to  the  best 
bank  note  that  is  current.  There  was  not  one  of  them  of  ordinary  in- 
dustry or  prudence  that  did  not  have  some  amount,  however  small,  in 
coin,  and  a  few  fcould  count  more  pieces  than  their  masters  had  pre- 
served. The  Yankees  had  learned  the  peculiarities  of  these  blacks  • 
very  early  in  the  war,  and,  with  characteristic  cunning  and  mendacity, 
tnrntd  them  to  their  own  profit.  When  the  negro  failed  to  disclose 
his  hoarded  earnings  the  soldier  or  officer  found  access  to  hie  cabin, 
and  soon  brought  to  light  the  object  of  his  search.  But  in  most  in- 
stances the  negro  was  s-duced  into  an  unsuspecting  confidence  by  the 
assurance  that  the  persons  thus  inquiring  for  his  treasure  were  deputed 
specially  by  "Old  Abe,"  or  Gen.  Banks,  (the  commander  of  the  expe- 
dition,) to  gather  all  such  valuables,  and  that  the  negro  would  receive 
it  again  so  soon  as  it  and  himself  wore  transported  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  rebels.  In  this  way  large  sums  in  the  aggregate  have  been 
transferred  from  the  pockets  of  our  slaves  to  those  poverty-stricken 
wretches  of  the  North,  whose  eyes  were  never  gladdened  by  a  sight  of 
much  comfort,  at  their  own  homes  as  they  found  in  our  negro  cabins. 
Of  course  I  refer  here  to  the  poorer  class  of  whites,  who  compose  the 
file  of  the  Federal  array. 

I  might  mention  numerous  individual  instances,  the  details  of  which 
would  j  'Stify  the  general  assertions  I  have  made.  Some  of  the  despoil- 
ed negroes  remained,  and  piteously  narrated  the  manner  in  which  they 
had  been  tricked  to  their  masters.  J«rry,  a  slave  of  Dr.  Smith,  had  •: 
accumulated  abont  five  hundred  dollars  in  coin.  The  rapacious  spirit 
of  thn  Federal  soldier},  which  was  displayed  early  after  their  arrival, 
wariMd  bin  of  the  insecTinty  of  his  money  at  his  own  hoQ«e.     Hf>  bsd 


eftea  in  traveling  observed  gentlemen  deposit  their  Valnables  in  th« 
safe  of  the  steamer,  and  he  adopted  that  method  of  saving  what  other< 
wise  could  not  have  eluded  the  prying  and  persistent  searches  of  the 
soldiers  through  the  town.  Carrying  his  money  on  either  a  transport 
or  a  gunboat,  most  likely  the  former,  he  deposited  it  in  the  iron  safe. 
Shortly  before  the  departure  of  the  fleet  he  applied  for  its  return.  He 
was  referred  by  the  officer  to  some  other  officer  who  he  said  had  the 
key,  and  by  him  to  some  other  officer  who  was  the  one  that  re- 
ceived it,  and  by  him  to  some  other,  and  so  on  in  endless  continuity. 
He  never  obtained  it,  and  finally  went  away  with  them,  although  he 
had  been  with  his  master  through  the  early  Virginia  and  Tennessee 
campaigns,  having  frequent  opportunities  to  escape,  but  never  availing 
himself  of  them.  Doubtless  his  hope  of  regaining  his  money  was  the 
cause  of  abandoning  his  home.  This  instance  is  a  fair  example  of  their 
treatment  of  the  slaves.     Ex  uno  disce  omnes. 

Outrages  committed,  and  beastly  acts  perpetrated  by  the  navy,  excite 
more  surprise  than  when  the  same  things  are  done  by  the  army.  The 
navy  have  fought  as  gallantly  as  the  army.  They  do  not  steal  as^nuch. 
They  act  more  in  accordance  with  the  usages  of  modern  warfare,  are 
more  civilized,  and  have  some  regard  for  the  opinion  of  the  world.  This 
arises  from  the  circumstance  that  there  is  a  greater  infusion  oi  South- 
ern men  in  their  navy  than  the  army.  There  are  more  born  gentlemen 
in  it.  But  their  volunteer  navy  is  composed  of  the  same  materials  as 
their  volunteer  armj'.  A  commissioned  officer  of  the  navy,  accompa- 
nied by  two  marines,  stole  from  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Caleb  Taylor  in 
this  town,  in  broad  daylight,  the  clock,  which  they  took  from  the  man- 
tel-piece, and  wrapping  it  up  in  a  quilt,  betook  their  prize  to  their  gun- 
boat, lying  in  the  stream  opposite.  And  this  commissioned  naval  officer, 
(known  from  their  badges,)  with  two  negroes  in  naval  dress,  (doubtless 
marines,)  were  seen  near  the  Episcopal  church,  while  the  town  was  in 
flames,  rifling  a  pile  of  furniture  which  the  owner  was  attempting  to 
save.  They  picked  up  two  fine  paintings,  a  musquito  bar,  and  some 
curtains,  and  walked  off  with  them. — [Aff.  No.  9.J 

Directly  the  "Black  Hawk"  arrived,  (Porter's  flag  boat;)  her  crew 
entered  Rachal's  warehouse,  rolled  out  the  cotton,  all  of  which  was  pri- 
vate property,  and  marked  on  one  end  C.  S.,  and  on  the  other  U.  S.  N., 
thus  endeavoring  to  make  it  appear  the  cotton  was  captured  property 
of  the  Confederate  Government.  Rear  Admiral  Porter  was  present, 
witnessed  the  fraud,  and  seemed  in  high  glee  at  the  adroitness  with 
which  his  rascally  ingenuity  could  outwit  Banks,  and  appropriate  the 
spoils  of  the  expedition.  The  same  thing  was  repeated  in  every  yard, 
bam  and  outhouse  where  they  found  cotton.  They  seemed  to  believe 
it  was  hidden  everywhere. — [Aff.  No.  9.] 

The  destruction  of  private  property,  and  the  conflagration  of  towns 
and  plantation  mansions  are  not  the  only  acts  which  indicate  the  fiend- 
ish piirposes  of  our  enemy.  Their  diabolical  malignity  which  prompts 
f hem  to  unparalleled  atrocities,  is  not  restrained  by  apprehensions  of 


the  censure  of  the  world,  hj  the  suegestions  of  hamanltj,  or  the  prempi> 
itigs  of  religion  or  civilization.  They  are  angry  that  a  people  welcome 
even  their  inflictions  of  misery,  if  by  endurance  they  can  attest  their 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  their  country's  independence.  They  are  phren- 
zied  at  tlie  sight  of  so  much  wealth,  happiness  and  contentment  among 
the  slaves,  (1  use  the  first  term  in  a  comparative  sensp,)  and  will  not 
tolerate  any  desire  in  the  poor  creatures  to  remain  with  their  masters. 
So  well  is  this  undierstood  now  by  the  slaves,  that  when  the  Federal 
army  begins  a  retreat,  those  slaves  who  wish  to  remain,  secrete  them- 
aelves. 

The  same  practice  was  followed  here  as  elsewher*^,  of  crowding  them 
in  a  "contraband  camp."  '1  he  space  between  the  levee  and  the  edge  of 
the  river  bank  was  used  here  for  that  purpose.  It  is  of  course  verj 
narrow,  but  large  numbers  were  crowded  into  it,  where  the  most  fortu- 
nate succeeded  in  making  «  shanty,  not  larger  than  a  dog  kennel,  in 
which  as  many  crowded  as  could.  The  mortality  was  inevitably  very 
great.  Thence  they  were  carried  to  the  abandoned  estates  of  the  plant- 
ers on  the  Teche,  Lafourche  and  lower  Mississippi,  to  work  on  what  they 
denominate  government  plantations.  The  passionate  prayer  of  fami- 
ilies  not  to  be  separated  was  disregarded,  and  the  men  were  thrust  into 
the  ranks,  while  the  women  and  those  of  the  children  who  survive,  are 
put  to  work  under  the  free  lab«r  system  of  Gen.  Banks,  under  which 
they  are  fined  for  misconduct  and  laziness,  and  made  to  furnish  their 
own  clothes,  and  to  beg  for  their  own  medicines — the  result  being  that 
they  never  get  filher  the  one  or  the  other,  and  the  fines  absorb  their 
wages.  The  free  negro  finds  to  his  snrprise,  that  his  labor  is  thus  ap- 
propriated by  a  task-master,  who,  unlike  his  former  master,  furnishes 
him  neither  with  tsufficient  food  or  raiment,  and  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
instead  of  the  money  which  as  a  slave  he  always  made  by  the  sale  of 
his  poultry  and  of  the  corn  or  other  produce  of  the  little  patch  allotted 
him  by  his  master,  he  finds  himself  without  a  dollar  with  which  to  make 
a  merry  Christmas. 

I  have  made  a  careful  estimate  of  the  number  of  slaves  taken  from 
this  Parish  by  tlie  enemy  in  the  two  expeditions  of  May,  1863,  and 
March,  1864;  and  after  comparing  my  own  with  that  made  by  others, 
have  no  hesitation  in  stating  the  number  at  eight  thousand.  Some  have 
been  recaptured,  a  few  returned,  or  rather  were  brought  back,  and  all 
concur  in  representing  their  misery  and  destitution  as  deplorable,  and 
the  mortality  as  frightful.  Gen.  Banks  in  his  tour  through  New  En- 
gland confesses  the  mortality  to  be  one  fourth,  but  it  is  believed  to  be 
at  least  one  half. 

I  incorporate  here.  Dr.  Davidson's  statement,  furnished  at  my  re- 
quest : 

"  In  the  progress  of  the  barbarous  and  unnatural  war  by  the  North 
against  a  country  guilty  only  of  loving  the  laws  and  religion  of  liberty, 
events  have  transpired  having  no  parallel  in  history,  and  whose  recital 
will  never  be  believed  save  by  thoee  who  witnessed  then.    The  truth 


M 

haa  been  otudioualy  snppreased,  and  tb£  world  at  lar^e  knows  not  what 
enormities  Lave  followed  in  the  track  of  the  Federal  bands.  Armies 
composed  of  the  vilest  material. that  was  ever  gathered  to  scourge  man- 
kindi' inflamed  by  promise  of  gain  and  unfettered  license,  marched  to 
the  conquest  of  an  unoftending  people. 

?f;'«  It  has  become  the  fixed  purpose  of  the  enemy  to  lay  waste  and  de*- 
stroy  a  country  they  find  themselves  unable  to  conquer  by  the  legitimate 
course  of  war.  Butler  in  Louisiana;  Hunter  and  Foster  in  the  Cai-o- 
linas;  Rosecranz  in  Tennessee;  Pope,  Milioy  and  others  in  Virginia  j 
and  Sherman  in  Mississippi  and  Georgia,  have  sufficiently  established 
the  line  of  policy  their  dictator  has  adopted,  iu  the  hope  of  subjuga- 
ting a  brave  and  unconquerable  people. 

•*  This  purpose  was  distinctly  declared  in  r.fference  to  the  delta  of  Red 
River, 'by  Gen.  Banks,  while  occupying  Alexandria  in  the  spring  of 
1S63,  which  he  announced  to  a  committee  of  citizens  who  waited  on 
him,  to  ascertain  what  orders  he  would  issue  to  redress  any  disorderly 
conduct  of.  the  negroes  just  set  at  large  by  the  presence  of  the  army, 
and  to  obtain  from  him  assurances  of  protection,  &c.,  &c.,  in  t  :ese 
words:  'Believe  it,  gt^ntlemen,  as  if  you  heard  God  himself  speak  it, 
I  will  lay  waste  your  country,  destroy  j'onr  crops,  stock  and  agricultural 
implements,  so  that  you^shall  never  organize  and  maintain  another  army 
in  this  department.' 

"  This  threat  he  was  unable  to  carry  into  effect  until  his  return  in  the 
month  of  March  of  the  present  year.  In  the  ai-niy  corps  of  Sh  rman, 
commanded  by  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith,  constituting  a  part  of  Gen.  Banks' 
army,  he  found  agents  fresh  from  the  sacking  and  burning  of  a  largo 
district  in  Mississippi  meet  for  the  work  he  had  in  hand. 

A'  It  cannot  therefore  excite  surprise  in  the  minds  of  any,  that  the  line 
of  march  of  the  army  under  Gen.  Banks  can  be  traced  like  an  Indian 
war  trail,  or  the  fire  path  of  the  prairie — by  smouldering  ruins  of  villa- 
}j-es,  dwellings,  gins  and  sugar  houses-— the  conversion  of  a  rich,  beau- 
tiful and  highly  improved  agricultural  region  into  a  vast  wilderness. 
The  marvel  is,  that  attempts. should  have  been  made,  on  the  part  of  the 
Federal  press  and  the  defenders  of  Gen.  Banks,  to  prove  that  these  acta 
of  incendiarism  and  wholesale  destruction  were  committed  by  the  army 
under  his  immediate  and  personal  command  without  his  orders  and 
sanction.  As  well  might  all  the  regular  and  legitima'e  operations  of 
his  army  be  said  to  have  been  equally  conducted,  without  his  orders  or 
direction. 

"The  16th  army  corps,, commanded  by  Gen.  Mower,  constituted  the 
advance  of  the  invading  army  under  Gen.  Banks,  and  reached  Alexan- 
dria on  transppits  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  March,  1864.  Imme- 
diately on  disf-mbarking,  they  were  permitted  to  rush  through  the  streets 
of  the  town,  unrestrained  by  the  presence  of  their  officers.  Thi  y  made 
an  indiscriminate  onslaught  upon  every  private  residence,  appropriating 
to  tbejnselvea  everything  valuable  upon  which  they  could  lay  their 
haftd»— att^  the  dcpositoriea  of  ibod  w«t«  at  oxtc«  forced  open  and  their 


6§ 

contents  borne  away.  I  saw  officers  present  at  Dr.  Frenchy  while  hfs 
store-roonit  meat-hou8€»  cribs,  &c.,  were  being  robbed,  and  heard  the 
appeal  of  Mrs.  French  to  them  for  protection.  The  only  reply  vouch- 
safed was,  that  the  army  needed  food  and  must  be  fed. 

"  Private  houses  were  thus  invaded,  and  the  inmates  subjected  to  the 
rudest  insults  and  treatment.  The  defenceless  females  whose  protectors 
were  absent,  only  escaped  personal  violence  by  the  determined  and  res- 
olute manner  in  which  they  met  the  insults  and  gross  language  of  the 
invaders  of  the  sanctity  of  their  homes.  It  would  be  impossible  to  give 
a  detailed  account  of  all  the  acts  of  outrage  and  insult  inflicted  through- 
out the  town.  Prominence  should  be  given  to  the  wanton  destruction 
of  the  Public  Records  in  the  offic  of  the  Recorder  and  Clerk  of  the 
Court— the  documents  from  which  were  scattered  through  the  streets 
aud  burnt — and  to  the  destruction  of  the  private  letters  an',  papera  of .; 
individuals. 

"  The  drug  stores,  three  in  number,  were  among  the  first  places  taken 
possession  of.  These  were  at  once  despoiled  of  their  contents,  which 
were  used  in  furnishing  their  hospitals  in  town,  and  one  devoted  to  the 
reception  of  cases  of  small  pox.  two  miles  below  town.  Forty-four 
cases  of  this  disease  were  landed  from  the. transports  on  the  day  of  their 
arrival.  The  stores  of  all  descriptions  underwent  a  similar  spoliation  ; 
the  iron  safes  forced  and  emptied,  the  ledgers,  promissory  notes,  and 
accounts  destroyed.  Private  residences  were  entered  at  night;  writing 
desks,  bureaus  and  armoirs rifled,  aid  the  occupants  insulted  and  nbused 
in  the  grossest  manner,  despite  the  efi'orts  ot  thi;  provost  marshal,  <lapt. 
Wolf,  who  evinced  every  disposition  to  afF(»rd  protection  to  those  apply- 
ing to  him  for  guards  about  their  premises.  I  obtained  from  him  at 
night,  details  of  his  guard  for  familifS  whose  dwellings  had  been  dis- 
turbed by  the  presence  of  straggliig  soldiers,  pillaging  and  insilling. 
The.  force  at  the  .command  of  the  pvovost  marshal  was  wholly  inade- 
quate to  the  protection  of  the  tt)Wu. 

'*  Immediately  on  the  occupation  of  the  town  by  the  Federal  army, 
recruiting  oflices  were  opened  for  the  enlistment  of  disaffected  citizens 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  under  the  title  of  'Louisiana 
Scouts,'  to  whom  a  large  bounty  was  offered.  In  a  few  days  three 
companies  of  these  men,  (commonly  called  'jayhawkers,')  were  organ- 
ized, and  placed  nnder  th^;  comman  1  of  men  notorious  for  tWeir  resist- 
ance to  the  authority  of  the  Confeierate  Government,  and  who  burned 
with  revenge  against  many  of  the  loyal  citizens  of  the  parish.  To 
thf"'8e  organizations  was  committed  the  patroling  of  the  country  adja- 
cent;  they  scoured  it,  visiting  npon  individuals  their  ve  .geance  and 
vindictivenesa.  This  irregular  fojx;e  entered-  the  residences  of  plant- 
ers, carrying  off  whatever  they  needed  or  could  appropriate,  and  in 
many  instances  offering  violence  and  insults..  In  the  remote  parts  of 
the  parish  tliey  burnt  the  dwelling^  of  those  who  were  supposed  to  have 
been  active  in  pointing  6ut  or  aiding  in  arresting  conscripts.  In  one 
inatoBce  within  mj  huowledgt,  an  attempt  was  mad«  to  ooafino  tbo    ■ 


7# 

wife  nf  one  who  hnd  been  somewhat  Actire  ia  designating  the  hannts  of 
skulking  conscripts,  to  the  house,  while  they  committed  it  to  the  flames  / 
After  the  array  marched  for  Sbreveport,  something  of  order  and  quiet 
was  enforced  by  Gen.  Grover,  the  commandant  of  the  post. 

•'  The  discomfiture  and  defeat  of  Gen.  Banks'  army  at  Mansfield  and 
Pleasant  Hill,  by  the  forces  under  Gen.  Taylor,  brought  the  Federal 
army  down  upon  us  ag'ain,  maddened  by  the  disgraceful  result  of  the 
boasted  expedition,  and  gloatin*  over  the  scenes  of  outrage,  burning 
and  destruction  they  had  perpetrated  on  their  march  from  Pleasant 
Hill  to  Alexandria. 

'« It  became  soon  generally  known  throughout  the  town,  that  the  ene- 
my designed  to  devote  the  place  to  pillage  and  burning  on  the  day  they  ' 
should  evacuate  it.  Threats  to  this  eflfect  were  publicly  made  by  the 
privates  as  they  walked  the  streets ;  and  the  citizens  were  warned  by 
those  of  the  army  less  fanatical  and  brutal,  to  provide  against  such  a 
contingency.  Measures  were  therefore  taken  to  prevent  so  dire  a  ca- 
lamity, by  appealing  to  Gen.  Banks  for  protection.  He  was  waited 
upon  repeatedly  by  thosa  having  access  to  him;  and  a  written  commu- 
nication was  sent  by  him,  giving  assurance  that  every  means  would  bo 
employed  to  prevent  any  attempt  to  fire  the  town.  Notwithstanding 
this  assurance  on  the  part  of  th«»  Federal  commander,  many  persona 
connected  with  the  army  continued  to  insist  that  orders  were  issued  for 
the  burning  of  the  place.  It  was  well  known  that  friction  matches 
were  issued  to  the  troops  occupying  the  town  two  days  before  the  evacu- 
ation, and  for  this  purpose.  Officers  and  men  were  overheard  discuss- 
ing the  subject,  and  insisting  that  it  should  be  carried  into  execution. 
On  the  morning  of  the  evacuation  I  overheard  a  person  say  to  Mrs. 
Smith,  who  keeps  a  boarding  house,  in  a  very  hurried  manner — 'As 
soon  as  you  have  breakfasted  close  your  doors,  for  we  are  going  to  have 
fun  this  morning.'  Struck  with  his  manner,  as  well  as  his  language,  I 
asked  him — '  what  do  you  mean  by  having  fun  ]"  He  replied,  •  we  are 
going  to  burn  up  your  d  d  town.'  On  the  preceding  day,  in  the 
afternoon,  standing  at  the  window  of  the  same  house,  I  overheard  three 
officers  conver^sing  on  the  side-walk,  where  they  had  just  halted  in 
their  promenade  :  one  of  them  remarked  with  great  emphasis — '  The 
only  way  is  to  drive  out  the  women  and  children  and  burn  their  dwel- 
lings!' Similar  remarks  could  be  indefinitely  multiplied,  as  the  sub- 
ject was  constantly  a  theme  of  conversation.  An  army  once  demoral- 
ised by  having  been  instructed  in  work  of  this  kind,  as  was  the  case 
with  Sherman's  corps,  could  not  well  omit  perpetrating  an  act  bo  ripe 
to  their  hands,  and  ofifering  the  resistless  temptation  of  pillage.  Long 
before  the  army  marched  towards  Sbreveport,  in  a  conversation  with  a 
Dr.  Lucas,  medical  director  in  the  16th  (Mower's)  army  corps,  I  com- 

glained  to  him  of  the  enormities  enacted  by  the  Federal  army ;  to  which 
e  replied— 'Why,  air,  this  is  nothing;  if  your  town  is  served  as  ware 
•II  th«  towxu  W6  pawed  through  in  MiMissippi,  B«ihiDg  but.  the  black- 


7.1 

eaed  cbimntj  tUckt  wonld  mark  the  place  where  jonr  town  ones 
stood.' 

"For  two  days  and  nights  before  the  evacuation,  the  town  was  pfuard- 
ed  by  the  113th  New  York  regiment,  (Zouaves,)  wlio  faithfully  and  effi' 
ciently  discharged  the  duty  assigned  to  them.  They  were  removed  tlin 
morning  of  the  fire,  and  the  police  of  the  town  committed  to  a  body 
of  cavalry.  To  this  circumstance  is  due  the  facility  with  which  the 
burning  of  the  town  was  carried  out,  and  leads  to  the  conviction  of  a  pre- 
meditated design  of  the  kind.  The  fire  was  communicated  to  a  building 
on  front  street,  in  Acentral  part  of  the  town — a  strong  north  wind  blow- 
ing at  the  time — and  from  the  drougth  which  had  prevailed  fur  some 
weeks,  the  flames  spread  rapidly  from  building  to  building.  At  the 
premises  of  Frozine,  f.  w.  c,  below  the  origin  of  the  fire  and  to  the 
rear  of  it,  men  entered  the  yard  with  a  tin  bucket  and  mop,  and  sprin- 
kled the  fencing  and  out-buildings  with  a  mixture  of  turpnntine  and 
camphene,  spying  that  they  '  were  preparing  the  place  for  Hell !'  At 
several  points  where  the  progress  ot  the  fire  was  arrested  by  the  inter- 
position of  a  brick  edifice,  similar  means  were  resorted  to,  to  continue 
the  conflagration.  This  was  done  with  the  Court  House,  the  brick 
store  houses  of  H.  Robertson  fc  Co.,  and  Mr.  Welsh,  and  the  brick 
dwelling  houses  of  P.  O'Shee  and  Giles  Smith.  In  the  last  named 
house,  Mr.  Smith  had  placed  wetted  blankets  on  the  window  shutters 
and  doors,  and  the  root  being  of  slate,  the  building,  with  the  watching 
and  care  of  the  owner,  would  not  have  been  consumed  ;  but  the  family 
were  ordered  out,  and  inflammable  material  distributed  through  it,  and 
all  was  consumed.  At  many  points  persons  were  seen,  belonging  to 
the  array,  in  the  act  of  setting  fire  to  the  houses.  This  was  the  case 
in  the  Court  House,  O'Shee's  dwelling,  H.  Robertson's  and  Welsh's 
stores,  and  the  railroad  car  depot. 

"  During  the  conflagration  of  the  buildings,  they  were  entered  by 
gangs  of  soldiers  and  pillaged  of  everything  valuable— oftentimes  un- 
der the  pretext  of  aiding  the  occupants — while  many  honest  and  gen- 
erous men  devoted  themselves  to  heroic  efforts  to  save  the  buildings  or 
the  property  within.  Many  officers  were  conspicuous  in  thtir  exertions 
in  behalf  of  the  suffering  citizens;  and  to  them  was  due  the  saving  of 
a  number  of  dwellings  from  destruction — Col.  Neaffie,  provost  mftr?hal, 
Dr.  Roberts  and  Col.  DeVere,  and  others  whose  names  I  regret  have 
escaped  me.  While  the  fire  was  raging,  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith  rode  through 
the  town,  sword  in  hand,  exclaiming — 'Hurrah,  boys,  this  look^  like 
war!'  Gen.  Banks  early  appeared  in  the  streets,  and  is  said  to  have 
given  orders  for  a  detail  of  men  to  assist  in  putting  out  the  fire,  and  to 
aid  the  citizens  in  rescuing  their  household  effects. 

"  Many  families  lost  a  considerable  part  of  whatever  was  safely  taken 
from  the  reach  of  the  fire,  by  the  prowling  stragglers  who  fell  upon 
everything  thus  rescued  by  the  unfortunate.  Lieut.  Beebe  and  Capt. 
Francis,  both  on  the  staff' of  Gen.  Banks,  exerted  themselves  to  repress 
thwwiMn,  anil  thas  sared  mach  valuabl*  property.     W^ile  thot  ea- 


'     7« 

gaged  near  my  premises,  both  of  these  officers  ascribed  the  fife  to  th» 
men  belongjing  to  Geii.  A.  J.  Smith's  command — remarking  that  he 
gave  uo  written  orders,  but  that  it  was  hiscnstora  to  give  them  verbally, 
and  that  this  was  well  miderstoud  by  his  mnn.  It  is  due  to  this  corps 
to  say,  that  Capt.  Slough,  A.  A.  G  ,  on' Smith's  staff,  on  the  retreat  from 
Alexandria,  stopped  at  the  residence  of  J "hn  R.  Williams  and  said  to 
Mrs.  Williams,  his  sister-in-law — 'All  the  blame  of  the  burning  of 
the  town  will  fall  upon  our  corps ;  but  the  orders  to  bun>  were  issued 
by  Gen.  Ba-iks  himself.'  Gen.  Kilby  Smith  and  Gen.  Mower,  who 
were  with  the  advance  column  on  the  retreat,  while  near  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Thos.  K.  Smith,  a  planter  of  respectability  and  standing,  re- 
marked, *  That  the  town  of  Alexandria  would  be  burnt,  and  that  they 
regretted  exceedingly  that  the  same  had  not  been  done  with  Natchi- 
toches, but  that  the  rebels  pushed  them  so  closely  that  they  could  not 
do  it. 

"  In  the  face  of  Jill  these  facts,  establishing  clearly  the  purpose  of  thd 
retiring  army  to  destroy  the  town  by  fire,  the  apologists  of  Getieral 
Banks,  who  represent  him  as  weeping  on  beholding  the  burning  town* 
and  who  attempt  to  ascribe  the  act  as  one  of  accident  wholly,  must  be 
content  to  have  their  efforts  in  his  behalf  classed  as  a  portion  of  the 
wilful  suppression  of  the  ti-uth,  and  design  to  gloss  over  the  enormities 
and  barbarities  of  their  government  and  its  agents,  in  the  prosecution 
of  a  war  of  extermination. 

J.  P.  DAVIDSON. 

To  Hon.  Thos.  C.  Manning,  Commissioner. 


The  efforts  of  Gen.  Emory  saved  the  upper  portion  of  the  town,  says 

affidavit  No.  9.     All  the  gnards  were  removed  at  sunrise  on  the  day  of 

the  burning,    when  the  apprehensions   of  the  citizens  long  entertained 

and  by  this  act  co.  firmed,  impelled  them  to  send  Dr.  G.  W.  Southwick, 

a  refugee  from  the  cosst,  to  Gen.  Banks,  to  apprise  him  of  the  fears  of 

the  citizens  and  the  threats  of  the  soldiers.     The  following  reply  was 

returned:  ■ 'f'!  •   '  i  .'■  . 

,  ■'  i: :.!■■. :i  ;tr 

Heabqtjartebs,  Departmknt  of  the  Gulf,  ) 

Alexandria,  May  13,  1864.  j 

Dr!  G.  W.  Southwick: 

Sir:  The  General   wishes  me  to  inform  you  that  Col.  Gooding  wilK 

with   500  men,  guard  the  town,  and  his  force   will  be  strengthened,  if 

possible,  in  order  to  provide  against  the  emergency  you  fear,     w  -  ...     \ 

I  am,  sir,  yours  truly,  ■'•^''^  '*'*^    "• 

GEO.  B.  DRAKE,  A.  A.  ^." 

This  was  satisfactory,  but  several  hours  having  elapsed  and  no  guard 
making  its  appearance,  suspicion  began  to  be  entertained  that  Gsa:'' 
Bask^  desigoad  by  this  note  only  todiiaariB  tb«  citisens  ol  tbeiir  fesors. 


73 

and  hence  to  d^iuish  their  precautions.  As  this  belief  strengthetied, 
3  party  of  citizens  started  to  hunt  up  Gen.  Banks,  to  inform  him  his 
promised  guard  had  not  arrived.  He  was  gone.  The  party  then  found 
lieut.  W.  S.  Beebe,  one  of  his  ordnance  officers,  I  believe  his  Chief  of 
Ordnance,  and  shewed  him  Banks'  note,  Lieut.  Beebe  instantly  volun- 
teered to  go  with  the  party  to  Col.  Gooding,  whom  they  found  at  his 
camp/just  above  the  last  house  on  Second  street,  near  the  bayou  Rap- 
ides. The  party  told  him  their  errand,  showed  him  Banks'  note  in 
which  he  officially  promised,  only  a  few  hours  before,  that  Col.  Good- 
ing, with  500  men,  should  guard  the  town  to  save  it  from  conflagration. 
Gol.  Gooding  was  surprised,  and  evidently  his  surprise  was  not  feign- 
ed, said  "it  was  news  to  him,"  and  then,  with  an  oath,  "this  is  just  like 
old  Banks."  -, 

These  facts  suffice  to  put  on  Gen.  Banks  the*  respbnsibility  of  the 
destruction  of  the  town.  He  was  warned  repeatedly  of  the  danger,  ac- 
knowledged the  necessity  of  precautionary  measures,  and  admitted 
there  were  grounds  for  the  fears  of  the  citizens,  by  officially  notifying 
them  '  that  a  guard  should  be  assigned,  and  designated  the  partic- 
ular command  selected.  He  left  without  ordering  or  intimating  to 
that  cdtomand  or  any  other,  the  duty  which  he  had  promised  to  im- 
pose on  them,  and  without  taking  any  measure  whatever  to  prevent 
•the  fealamity  which  he  knew  was  impending.  The  intended  conflagra- 
tion was  insultingly  proclaimed  wherever  Smith's  corps  were.  A^ffiant 
No  7  saysj  "business  brought  me  in  the  presence  of  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith, 
at  his  headquarters  on  the  steamboat  Clara  Belle,  then  laying  at  the 
town  of  Alexandria.  Gen.  Smith's  division  had  just  arrived  from 
Pleasant  Hill.  Whilst  in  his  presence,  and  that  of  his  stafi",  I  heard 
several  of  his  officers  express  their  determination  to  burn  the  town  be- 
fore they  left — said  they  would  proceed  to  the  business  at  once,  were  it 
not  fdr  the  eick  and  wounded  in  hospitals.  They  also  expressed  their 
regrets  at  not  having  burned  the  town  of  Natchitoches.  Gen.  A.  J. 
Smith  heard  this  remark — it  was  addressed  to  him." 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Gen.  Banks  ordered  the  town  to  be 
burned.  Men  do  not  usually  make  a  record  of  their  infamy.  But  my 
narrative  substantiates  tbat  he  connived  at  it,  and  intended  that  it 
should  be  done.  His  march  from  five  miles  outside  of  Natchitochdfe, 
had  been  illumined  by  the  glare  of  burning  homesteads.  It  cannot  bo 
known  wQiether,  in  this,  he  was  purposely  imitating  the  barbarous  con- 
duct of  Sherman  in  his  Mississippi  raid,  or  passively  submitting  to  the 
headstrong  will  and  malignant  passion  of  his  subordinate.  It  is  most' 
likely  he  was  afraid  to  thwart  A.  J.  Smith.  The  latter  had  unsparing- 
ly ridiculed  his  superior's  imbecility,  and  denounced  his  cowardice. 
The  expedition  commanded  by  Banks  tught  to  have  been  a  splendid 
success.  His  army  was  magnificently  appointed.  In  all  the  applian- 
ces of  war,  as  in  all  the  luxuries,  indeed,  of  camp,  it  lacked  nothing. — 
He  numbered  three  to  one  of  his  antagonist.  He  was  supported  by 
the  largest  fleet  of  gdnboats  ever  assembled.     The  easy  capture  of  Fort 


74 

De  EoflBv,  the  only  Fort  on  Red  River,  gave  them  the  prestige  of  suc- 
cess, and  inspired  their  troops  with  martial  confidence.  Yet  he  was 
whipped  in  two  battles;  and  driven  back  cowering,  dismayed  and  panic- 
stricken  to  this  place,  amid  the  taunts  of  his  own  soldiers,  and  with  the 
shouts  of  General  Taylor's  inconsiderable  army  ringing  in  his  ears. 

A.  J.  Smith  amtised  the  citizens  here,  declaring  in  his  drunken  or- 
gies that  he  was  only  staying  here  to  play  wet  nurse  to  Banks^^that 
he  was  ordered  back  with  his  command  to  Vicksburg,  but  could  not 
leave  lest  Dick  Taylor  should  swallow  Banks  up.  There  is  no  doubt 
on  my  mind  that  Banks  felt  he  had  failed  where  he  ought  to  have  ob- 
tained a  lasting  success — that  his  management  of  the  expedition  had 
brought  it  to  an  impotent  conclusion,  a  tact  which  no  one  appeared  tO' 
appreciate  with  more  zest  than  A.  J.  Smith,  and  he  was  afraid  therefore 
to  run  counter  to  the  tatter's  wishes.  If  the  expedition  could  not  be  a 
military  success,  its  fruits  must  be  the  desolation  of  the  rich  valley 
of  Red  River,  which  they  had  expected  to  occupy,  and  through  whien 
they  were  now  forced  to  retreat,  crest-fallen  and  humiliated.  The  pow- 
er that  was  inadequate  to  the  conquest  was  more  than  sufficient  for  the 
desolation  of  the  country. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  mention  here,  that  the  burning  and  plonder- 
ing  was  the  work  of  the  16th  and  17th  corps,  composed  exclusively  of 
Northwestern  men.  When,  on  the  return  of  peace,  these  men  resume 
their  commerce  on  the  Mississippi,  and  attempt  to  foster  trade  relati9ns 
by  professions  of  a  common  hatred  of  New  Englanders,  the  recollection 
of  wanton  cruelties  and  brutal  outrages  voluntarily  inflicted  by  them, 
may  serve  to  keep  alive  our  indignation,  and  perpetuate  a  hatred  which 
it  were  more  than  human  not  to  feel.  The  19th  corps  was  composed 
entirely  of  New  England  regiments.  Besides  being  more  orderly  and 
disciplined,  they  did  not  have  the  savage  thirst  for  devastation,  which 
distinguished  both  officers  and  men  of  the  16th  and  17th  corps.  They 
stole,  but  with  the  sly  cunning  which  foi-ms  one  of  the  peculiaritie» 
of  the  Yankee  pure  and  proper,  and  when  caught  in  the  act,  substituted 
to  the  truculent  defiance  of  the  hoosier,  the  sanctimonious  placidity  o£ 
the  self-justified  puritaiL 

The  town  was  fired  between  8  and  9  o'clock,  a.  m.,  of  the  13th  May, 
The  first  building  fired  was  a  store  on  Front  street,  in  the  block  next 
below  the  hotel.  A  fence  in  the  rear  of  this  house  had  previously  been 
smeared  with  turpentine,  whick  quickly  caught.  This  fact,, is  stated 
by  a  lady  who  lived  on  the  block,  and  who  saw  the  soldiers  applying 
the  turpentine,  but  whose  affidavit  is  not  made  for  excess  of  prudence- 
Affiant  No.  1  was  standing  on  the  levee  in  front  of  the  store  when  it 
was  fired  by  the  soldiers,  who  first  plundered  it,  and  then  ^scei^ding  to 
the  second  story  applied  the  torch. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  houses  on  Front  and  Second  streets 
were  brick.  On  the  lower  comer  of  the  block  first  fired,  thwe  was  & 
fire-proof  brick  building,  which  effectually  stayed  the  progress  of  the 
flames.    To  insure  a  Buccessful  incendiarism,  it  was  neceisafy  to  apply 


75 

the  tofdb  again,  and  below  this  fire-proof  building.  When  the  flames 
reached  the  Court  Honse  square,  they  \rould  again  have  been  stayed, 
had  they  not  been  renewed.  The  Court  House  was  the  only  building 
on  the  square.  It  fronted  the  river,  the  three  other  sides  facing  blocks 
of  buildings,  all  of  which  had  been  consumed,  and  had  fallen  down  in 
Bmottldering  ruins,  and  yet  the  Court  House  stood  uninjured.  It  was 
fired  in  the  interior,  and  was  consumed,  with  every  record  of  the  Parish. 
The  Episcopal  and  Methodist  churches  were  burned,  and  every  build- 
ing upon  twenty- two  blocks. 

One  of  the  most  disgraceful  stratagems  adopted  by  them  to  facilitate 
the  plundering,  was  that  of  alarming  the  residents  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Episcopal  Church,  by  telling  them  the  Church  was  about  to  be 
blown  up  with  powder,  in  order  to  stay  the  progress  of  the  tire.  The 
inhabitants  fled  from  their  houses  in  dismay,  and  the  soldiers  who  had 
told  the  tale  entered  and  rifled  them  of  their  contents.  Two  doors  be- 
low the  Church  was  a  honse,  "built,"  says  its  owner,  (AflSidavit  No.  3,) 
"entirely  of  brick,  with  slate  roof  and  parapets.  Hynson's  house,  (be- 
tween his  and  the  Church,)  had  burned  to  the  ground.  It  was  of  wood, 
distant  about  ninety  feet  from  mine.  My  house  had  not  caught  fire; 
I  had  wet  blankets  on  the  side  next  to  Hynson,  and  took  out  the  win- 
dow sash,  which  were  of  wood.  Foiir  or  five  officers  came  into  the  low- 
er apartments,  and  ordered  my  wife  and  family  out,  when  I  observed 
the  cavalrymen  go  up  stairs,  whom  I  immediately  followed.  One  of 
them  went  into  the  rooms  on  one  side  of  the  passage,  and  the  other  into 
the  other  side.  There  was  a  mattrass  in  one  room,  and  the  Yankee 
who  went  into  that  room  walked  up  to  it,  and  drawing  his  hand  across 
it  with  a  wide  swoop,  the  mattrass  instantly  caught  tire,  and  the  room 
was  in  a  blaze.  I  did  not  see  anything  in  his  hand,  and  do  not  know 
what  it  was  he  had,  but  suppose  it  was  turpentine  that  he  threw  upon 
the  mattrass,  which  was  ignited  by  a  lucifer  match.  I  seized  the  mat- 
trass, got  it  down  stairs,  and  in  the  street  where  it  burned  up.  After 
this,  a  Lieutenant  and  two  privates,  (cavalry,)  came  to  my  house,  and 
asked  me  roughly  what  I  was  doing  there.  On  my  answering  it  was 
my  house,  they  ordered  me  away,  but  I  would  not  go,  and  they  went 
in.  Soon  after  they  came  out,  an  explosion  was  heard  in  the  house^ 
and  the  whole  fabric  tumbled  down.  It  was  blown  up  by  the  last  par- 
ty, doubtless  by  a  torpedo,  since  it  did  not  catch  fire  from  the  neigh- 
boring buildings,  and  that  seemed  the  only  means  of  destroying  it. — 
The  torpedo  was  exploded  by  means  of  a  galvanic  battery.  1  have 
now  from  the  ruins  a  part  of  the  battery,  and  jars,  which  I  picked  up, 
which  are  of  course  broken.  I  saw  an  officer  set  on  fire  the  car-house 
of  the  Railroad.  He  sat  on  his  horse  and  ejected  ft-om  some  sort  of  in- 
strument in  his  hand,  a  liquid  upon  the  roof,  which  immediately  ig- 
nited and  burned  with  gi-eat  rapidity." 

I  conclude  my  narrative  of  the  destruction  of  the  town,  by  giving 
Gen.  Banks  the  benefit  of  a  disclaimer,  made  by  one  of  his  officers. — 
The  atrocity  of  the  conflagration,  waa  so  great,  tljat  those  o$cers  who 


76 

deaesved  the  n6me  were  seHcitoua  to  relieye  themselves  and  theih 
0t>mmander  of  its  odium.  "I  heard  Capt.  Francis,"  says  a  citizen, 
"whom  I  understood  to  be  on  Gen.  Bank's  staff,  say  to  the  daughters 
of  Dr.  Davidson,  one  of  our  citizens,  that  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith  gave  ver- 
bal orders  to  his  troops  to  burn  and  destroy,  and  that  he  would  be 
court-martialed  for  it."  At  the  time  he  said  this,  the  young  ladies 
were  near  the  lot,  upon  which  their  residence  had  stood  in  the  morning, 
and  Capt.  Francis  and  Lieut.  Beebe,  another  Yankee  oflScer,  were  offerr 
,  ing  assistance  to  the  ladies.  The  former  had  before  offered  to  such' 
citizens  as  had  been  burned  out  free  passage  to  New  Orleans,  as 
Ire  said,  by  orders  of  Gen.  Banks^  He  denied  that  Gen.  Banks  Approved 
or  countenanced  the  burning  that  had  been  accomplished,  and  was,  as 
I  understood,  repelling  the  natural  suspicion  of  the  citizens^  that  his 
Chief,  who  was  the  Commander  of  the  army,  was  the  cause  of  the  dis- 
aster."—Aff.  No.  2. 

The  army  was  then  evacuating  the  town.  The  evacuation  was  com- 
plete that  night,  or  before  daylight  on  the  i4th.  ■         .-  '•' 

The  wanton  destruction  of  property  on  plantations  is  circumstantial- 
ly related  in  affidavit  No  6.  The  mansion  houses  were  first  robbed, 
and  the  valuable  furniture  in  some  instances  broken,  in  others  remov- 
ed. The  piano,  in  that  particular  instance,  was  carried  on  board  A. 
J.  Smith's  boat,  the  "Clara  Bellej"-^the  family  portraits  defaced,  and 
the  quarters,  gin-house,  etc.,  totally  demolished.  Every  building  on 
the  plautatiens  of  Ex-Gov.  Moore^  and  Lieut.  Chambers,  was  rased. 
The  residence  of  Mrs.  Winn  was  burned  to  conceal  its  robbery.  Gen. 
Dwight,  whose  command  was  encamped  near,  advised  that  lady  to  go 
into  town,  (it  was  but  two  miles  distant,)  to  obtain  a  protection  for  her 
place.  On  returning,  sha  met  soldiers  carrying  different  pieces  of  her 
silver  plate,  and  on  approaching  her  residence  discovered  it  in  flames, 
notwithstanding  that  officer  had  assured  her  nothing  should  be  touched 
during  her  absence.  ■  .    .    ; 

But  it  were  needless  to  specify  these  individual  instances  of  out!-'; 
rages:  on  plantations.     Each  homestea,d   has   some   story  to   tell  of 
mingled   perfidy  and  ruin.     A   desolate   waste   marks  the   path  of 
Gen.  Banks'  retreating   army — .a  track  of  ruin,  embracing  alike  thai' 
property  of  men  in  public  service, .  of  women,  and   orphan  childrem  • 
Nor  did  these  latter  escape  without  personal   indignity.     A  child  of 
Ca,pt.  Kelsoj  a  little  boy  of  four  years,  boaated   that  he  was  a  rebel 
in  the  presence  of  a  knot  of  Yankee   officers   and   soldiers.     One  of 
them  applied  a  cord  to  his  neck  and  suspended  him  as  if  he  intended 
to  inflict  death.     When  gasping  for  breath  he  was  taken  down,  and 
asked  if  he  were  still  a  rebel.     The   stout   hearted  little   patriot  re- 
affirmed his   rebellious   sentiments,  when  he  was   again  suspended, 
and  so  remained  until  a  returning  sense  of  humanity  of  some  of  the; 
bystanders  compelled  his  release.     The  child  bore  for  some  days  the 
mark  on  his  neck  of  this  partial  strangulation.  ■ 

Besides  the  entire  destruction  of  the  Records  of  this  Parish,  coa-' 


77 

SuDtted  fix  ihe  oonflagmtion  of  the  Court  House,  many  valuable  libra- 
ries were  destroyed.  In  the  mansiqpi  house  of  Mrs.  Seip  was  a  very 
considerable  collection  of  rare  and  costly  works,  selected  through  a 
series  of  years  by  a  deceased   lawyer.     A  skirmish   was  had  near  it 

(flipven  miles  from  this  place)  and  one  of  their  wounded  comrades 
was  carried  to  the  pias^za  by  the  enemy.  They  retreated  through  the 
plantation,  hard  pressed  by  our  cavalry,  but  halted  long  enough  to 
set  fire  to  the  house  with  the  aid  of  their  matches  and  turpentine. 
Their  wounded  companion,  unable  to  move  himself;  frantically  im- 
plored them  not  to  devote  him  to  a  sure  and  horrible  deathj  but  his 
<5ries-  were  unheededj  and  his  ashes  now  mingle  with  the  cinders  of 
tfee  house  and  it&  contents. 

..  I  have  approached  With  disgust,  and  shall  leave  with  satisfaction, 
the  narrative  of  brutalities  which  shock  the  common  sensibilities  of 
mankind.  I  turn  to  the  more  pleasing  office  of  recording  the  acts 
of  humanity  performed  by  a  few  of  the  officers,  and  regret  that  in  so 
large  an  army  and  fleet  as  formed  this  formidable  expedition,  the 
Humber  of  those  who  exhibited  the  feelings  and  principles  of  chris- 
tian people  and  native  gentlemen  were  so  small  that  their  names 
can  be  remembered  without  omission,  and  their  acts  specified  with- 
out tediousness. 

Col.  Neafic  and  Lieut.  Vernum,  who  were  quartered  respectively 
at  Dr.  Smith's  and  Mr.  Elgee's,  were  considerate  in  their  attention  to 
these  families  during  the  occupation,  and  untiring  in  their  efforts  to 
assist  in  saving  a  portion  of  the  furniture  and  provisions,  when  the 
near  approach  of  the  fire  made  the  loss  of  the  house  certain:  Gen. 
Emory  never  disgraced  his  sword  and  his  manhood  by  encouraging 
or  permitting  the  rapine  of  his  soldiers,  and  Lieut.  Beebe's  effort  to 
assist  the  citizens  in  procuring  the  guard  which  might  have  saved 
the  town,  has  already  been  mentioned.  Gen.  Grover  remained  as 
Commandant  of  the  Post,  while  the  army  advanced  to  receive  their 
chastisement  at  Mansfield,  and  while  performing  his  duty  to  his 
Government,  remembered  that  he  was  ruling  a  heroic  and  gallant 
people  whose  temporary  reverses  were  only  due  to  their  dispropor- 
tion of  the  resources  of  war.  Col.  Sharp  displayed  the  consideration 
which  humanity  claims  of  all  who  feel  its  instincts.  Major  Von 
Heovnan,  a  foreigner,  and  an  officer  of  Gen.  Banks'  staff,  who  was 
quartered  in  my  own  house,  energetically  stigmatized  the  conduct  of 
the  army  as  degrading  to  the  national  character,  and  Dr.  Cleaver 
bore  himself  with  a  refined  and  gentlemanly  delicacy  that  was  the 
more  conspicuous  from  its  rarity.  Dr.  Roberts,  an  elderly  surgeon 
of  the  Marine  Brigade  I  believe,  was  an  inmate  of  my  house  during 
the  whole  occupation,  and  has  entitled  himself  to  my  respect  and 
gratitude  for  his  paternal  protection  to  my  family*  When  the  fire 
approached  my  dwelling,  he  considerately  bore  to  a  place  of  safety, 
on  his  own  shoulders,  my  family  portraits,  and  took  under  his  charge 
My  sffy'er.    After  the  cornice  and  front  steps  of  my  house  had  caught 


78 

fire,  he  labored  with  generous  assiduity  to  extinguish  the  flames, 
and  with  a  faithful  slave,  aided  by  some  of  the  citizens,  finally  suc- 
ceeded. 

It  were  strange  indeed,  in  a  nation  which  has  grown  np  under 
the  influences  of  the  present  century,  and  which  can  justly  lay  claim 
to  extraordinary  progress,  to  a  rapid  improvement  in  literature,  and 
to  the  sudden  attainment  of  respectable  national  importance,  if  some 
instances  were  not  found,  where  brutish  passion  had  not  degraded 
manhood,  and  obliterated  the  efiects  of  civilization  from  the  human 
heart.  But  they  are  rare  in  their  army  and  navy.  The  present  war 
exhibits  to  the  world  the  people  of  the  United  States  in  no  doubtful 
or  uncertain  light.  The  Eastern  troops  are  needy  adventurers, 
whose  poverty  at  home  is  exhibited  by  their  careful  theft  of  the 
commonest  articles  of  ornament  or  use  in  the  parlors  of  our 
planters  and  the  cabins  of  our  slaves.  Following  the  examples  of 
their  New  England  Generals,  (Butler  and  Banks,)  whose  houses  are 
adorned  by  the  furniture  stolen  in  Louisiana,  they  content  themselves 
with  appropriating  luxuries  never  before  within  their  reach.  The 
Western  troops  destroy  what  they  cannot  plunder.  Ferocious  in  their 
brutality,  scorning  the  restraints  of  humanity  which  they  do  not  feel, 
and  the  instincts  of  civilization  of  which  they  are  ignorant,  they 
revel  in  a  fiendish  saturnalia  of  ruin,  which  spares  neither  age  nor 
sex,  homestead  nor  barn,  the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary,  the  vestments 
of  the  priest,  nor  the  sacred  house  itself — nay,  their  infernal  malig- 
nity penetrates  the  recesses  of  the  tomb,  and  rudely  disturbs  the 
bones  of  its  inmates. 

Political  or  social  affiliation  with  such  a  people  would  be  to  us 
more  degrading  than  any  human  vassalage  yet  known  on  earth, 
more  to  be  dreaded  than  death,  and  more  intolerable  than  exile, 
penury  or  other  earthly  calamity.  Providence,  and  the  heroism  of 
our  army  and  the  endurance  of  our  people,  will  take  care  that  no 
such  fate  is  reserved  for  the  people  of  the  Confederate  States. 

Respectfully  submitted, 
THOS.  C.  MANNING. 


79 


[No.  1.] 
State  of  Louisiana,  ) 
Parish  of  Rapides.     ) 

I  have  resided  in  this  town  (Alexandria)  twenty-four  years,  and  am 
a  native  of  Germany — am  fifty  years  old.  This  town  was  fired  on  the 
morning  of  Friday,  May  13th,  between  8  and  9  o'clock,  a.  m.  Several 
Yankee  soldiers  broke  into  the  store  on  Front  street  next  to  mine,  and 
pilfered  the  tobacco,  sugar  and  lard,  which  were  the  sole  contents. 
While  the  party  were  below,  another  set  went  into  the  second  story, 
and  immediately  afterwards  the  house  commenced  burning.  The  fire 
was  applied  in  the  second  story.  While  this  was  going  on,  I  was 
standing  on  the  levee,  which  runs  along  one  side  of  the  street,  imme- 
diately opposite  the  store,  and  about  eighty  feet  from  it.  This  was 
thelcommencenent  of  the  conflagration.  The  store  and  those  on  eitlwv- 
side  adjoining  were  wooden  buildings.  'ii 

J.  WALKER.         V 

Sworn  to  and  (subscribed  before  me,  June  27th,  1864.  vr 

jTnOS.  C.  MANNrNG,  '  --^ 

Asaociate^Justice  Supreme  Court^La.     f 


(No.  2.] 

I  was  in  the  town  of  Alexandria  diiring  the  conflagration,  andjfor 
many  days  previous.  On  the  morning  of  the  day  the  town  was  burned 
I  heard  Capt.  Francis,  whom  I  understood  to  be  on  Gen.  Banks'  stafi*^ 
say  to  the  daughters  of  Dr.  Davidson,  one  of  the  citizens,  that  Gen.  A, 
J.  Smith  gave  verbal  orders  to  his  troops  to  burn  and  destroy,  and 
that  he  would  be  court-martialed  for  it.  At  the  time  he  said  this  the 
young  ladies  were  near  the  lot  upon  which  their  residence  had  stood  in 
the  morning,  and  Capt.  Francis  and  Lieut.  Beebe,  another  Yankee  offi- 
cer, were  offering  assistance  to  the  ladies.  The  former  had  before 
offered  to  such  citizens  as  had  been  burned  out,  free  passage  to  New 
Orleans,  as  he  said  by  orders  from  Gen.  Banks.  He  denied  that  Gen, 
Banks  approved  or  countenanced  the  burning  that  had]  been  accom- 
plished, and  was,  as  I  understand,  repelling  the  natural  suspicion  of  the 
citizens  that  his  chief,  who  was  the  commander  of  the  army,  was  the 
cause  of  the  disaster. 

LEWIS  TEXADA. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  June  !^8th,  1864. 

ThO».  C.  MAItWl.V(i?'  •■    '■   •'•  ;^ 

judge  Stiprem^  Cotfjt  " 


8^ 

[No.  3.J 

Statk  op  Louisiana,  > 
Parish  of  Rapides.     ) 

I  have  resided  in  this  town  eighteen  years.  My  residence  was  on 
Second  street,  with  one  house  (R.  0.  Hynaon's)  intervening  between  it 
and  the  Episcopal  Church.  It  was  new,  built  entirely  of  brick,  with 
slate  roof  J^and  parapets.  Hynson's  house  had  bMrned  to  the  ground  ; 
it  was  of  wood,  distant  about  ninety  feet  from  mine.  My  house  had 
not  caught  fire.  I  had  wet  blankets  on  the  side  next  to  Hynson,  and 
took  out  the  window  sash,  which  were  ot  wood.  Four  or  five  officers 
came  into  the  lower  apartments  and  ordered  my  wife  and  family  out, 
when  I  observed  two  cavalrymen  go  up  stairs,  whom  I  immediately 
followed.  One  of  them  want  into  the  rooms  on  one  side  of  the  pas- 
sage, and  the  other  into  the  other  side.  There  was  a  mattraas  in  one 
room,  and  the  Yankee  went  into  that  room,  walked  up  to  it,  and  drav*"- 
ing  his  hand  across  it  with  a  wide  swoop,  the  mattrass  instantly  caught 
fire,  and  the  room  was  in  a  blaze.  I  did  not  see  anything  in  his  hand, 
and  do  not  know  what  it  was  he  had,  but  suppose  it  was  turpentine 
that  he  threw  upon  the  mattrass,  which  was  ignited  by  a  lucifer 
match.  I  seized  the  mattrass,  got  it  down  stairs  and  in  the  street, 
where  it  burned  up.  After  this,  a  lieutenant  and  two  privates  (cavalry) 
came  to  my  house  and  asked  me  roughly  what  I  was  doing  there.  On 
my  answering  it  was  my  house,  they  ordered  me  away,  but  I  would 
not  go*  and  they  went  in.  Soon  after  they  came  out,  an  explosion  was 
heard  in  the  house,  and  the  whole  fabric  tumbled  down.  It  was  blown 
up  by  this  last  party,  doubtless  by  a  torpedo,  since  it  did  not  catch 
fire  from  the  neighboring  buildings,  and  that  seemed  the  only  means 
of  destroying  it.  This  was  about  noon.  The  torpedo  was  exploded 
by  means  of  a  galvanic  battery,  I  have  now  from  the  ruins  a  part  of 
the  battery  and  jars,  which  I  picked  up,  which  were  of  course  broken. 
I  saw  an  o^cer  set  on  fire  the  car  house  ot  the  little  railroad,  about 
150  feet  from  Denis  SuUivati's  house.  He  sat  on  his  hosse  and  ejected 
from  soI^t  sort  of  instrument  in  his  hand  a  liquid  upon  th&  i70of,  whiebl 
immediately  ignited  and  burned  with  great  rapidity. 

GILES  0,  SMITH. 
g^Vorn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  July  11th,  1864. 
^g]^  ^.  Thos.  C.  Manning, 

aQ'r)  ;, ,'  Associate  Justice  Supreme  CottH. 


[No.  4. 1 
State  op  Louisiana,  i 
Parish  of  Rapides.    } 
I  am  a  free  black  wopian,  and  have  lived  in  this  town  (Alexandria) 
9ver  twenty  ye^rs.    I  was  a  Blare  of  Mr.  Henry  Patters^,  and  was 


81 

f|eed  by  Uim  about  twetity  j^atb  ago.  The  Yankees  ctonae  to  my 
house  the  first  day  they  entered  town,  which  is  in  the  suburbte,  and 
commenced  stealing  my  poultry.  On  seeing  me  they  asked  who  I 
was,  I  told  them..  They  asked  who  my  master  was.  I  said  I  had 
no  master,  that  I  was  a  free  colored  woman.  They  said  I  lied,  and 
that  my  master  was  hid.  They  commenced  pillaging  the  ho«80»  taking 
out  rayk^iyes  and  forkg,  plates  and  table  cloths  and  sheets  and  looking 
glasses,  and  then,  pulled  down  my  house,  which  waa  a  frame  house. 
I  begged  them  tp.'Stpp,  to  leave  me  my  house.  They  then  asked  me 
whom  the  houBOrbelonged  to.  I  toM  them  it  belonged  to  me,  at  which 
they  cursed  me  and  cajled  me  liar  again,  and  said  niggers  could  not 
owh',property  in.tbis  Slate  5  and  before  they  stopped  the  house  was 
cleeri  pulled  down,  and  even  the  bricks  taken  out  of  the  ciiimney.  My 
own  clothes  and  my  daughter's,  a  grown  woman,  were  all  taken  by 
them,  among  them  some  merinos  and  lawns,  and  my  husband's  gold 
watch,  which  I  minded  more  than  the  clothes.  My  husband  has  been 
dead  ten  years.  The  clothes  were  given  by  them  to  one  of  their  col- 
ored women  and  a  white  woman  who  came  off  one  of  the  gunboats  in 
the  river  just  in  frontof  the  town.  1  had  a  great  many  nice  things  in 
my  house  in  the  housekeeping  way,  but  they  did  not  leavo  mo  a  single 
article,  i  The  clothes  I  had  on  my  baok  were  all  that  I  had  when  they 
got  through.     They  even  chopped  up  my  lumber,  of  which  I   had 


li. 


several  thousand  feet,  and  stole  all  my  provisions.  :  r^. 

her  :isiv 

rnly,^oi.(^s  ,.  !.iw;J  FANNY  x  OARHb -^fri 

-wQ  ".''3^/  rfr»."8  .-.  ':  mark  t  Jiiw 

jBwoirn  and  Bubscrlbed  before  me,  July  11th,  1864.  -fir  at»>q 

;♦(.,;•;.  ThoS.  0.  MANMINa^'VOO  oTioJ 

offl  lia  Associate  Justice  Supremei  Cdtirt.  M 

h^a'spi.    '.■  .  -  ..  ••   '  'i^ 

e«  thfia  ,  >iuU'i:'\  "o  bow  booj^  A     .r!iiii>0T  ;foJd  ly.:fi  osnori  o.'  -f 

7I•♦:^^lf;r^o^  (■  ■■  m\     ifl  ;i,:tvi»"!  ,:'jtiu' J  dy''  '    .^-'>.f  .n  ''■■^: •> 

n^>v:*-{.("r      ....^nl-  -;:iw..ol    il^^fvH  'y 

S.ig^tATjEr  pF,LaOI^IANA,.)i-ifioU/J    ;,iU    ...  ......   ....  .     ,i;       .        ..  ....     ..J9 

ji  Parish  of  KapideB, ,  Jil  nwo  X''^  .lauioaj  hid  lo  Jr.Jj  bar,  (two  nad 
'I  am  a  free  black  woman,  aih  the  daik'^fer  'of  Fanny  OArf,  krtd  IWii 
with  my. mother.  1  was  not  at  home  when  the  YanKees  came  there 
jind  roboed  the  house,  being  it  that  time  in  service  to  Mrs.  Manning  ; 
but  went  down  next  day,  when  i  found  they  had  stolen  all  my  clothes 
and  bonnets  and  jewelry.  I  went  on  the  same  day  to  Gen.  Mower, 
but  got  no  satisfaction  ;  but  made  no  further  effort  to  recover  my  effects. 
I  never  got  back  anything;.  The  Yankees  said  we  should  not  hare 
our  things  back ;  that  they  knew  they  were  not  ours,  for  coloi-^d  peo* 
pie  were  not  allowed  to  own  so  much  property  down  here.  I  told  them' 
they  did  belong  to  us,  but  I  never  recovered  anything.  They  wanted 
me  to  go  away  with  them.  I  went  to  Gbl.  Shaw  and  totd  him  th»' 
Unioa  soldiers  had  killed  and  taken  away  my  niothef  ■«  h<>g,  and  h«d[ 


(8k^  sAlef  Bet  fMb^risiK^i^s,  ms^  wti»Ad  blaf  to  ^¥^  iM'DoiK^.  M<i 
BAid  I  mxAA  g6  and  kill  ^ot^i^  of  thd  r^b^te^  Mogg;  tbiaft'  if  I  #^n^  t6 
Btay  ddWii  he^6  f  could  g^t  t&e  t^bel^  f 6>  ^<dd  ifi^.  I  tbid  Mitil  ^  ^&%'^ 
Wduld  fiiid  me,  aftd  I  Shbtfld  fiot  g*o  iWfay  J^i-om  «b6ii.-  Since  ihf 
iflc^ther'S  hbuS6  w&s  desttbyed*  sh«  haa  beefa  *tjiyiiig  it\4k  mf  siBteft 
Mid  I  hover  Stayed  cbiedy  at  Mrti  Manniflg's.  ■^' ■' 

CATfiEItlNB  <JAte. 
l&WoM  ttf  a&d  rab^'t>i?d<  ]S«fd^Q  m^  Attest  2d,  l§d4. 

Tktid.  C.  MANMNfcl, 

meh  abbv6,  at^  i^4Xl  Si«i^  !fo  ni'd.    I^ket  ^tS  tftit^M'  Aiil  m'-' 

dtiBtri6iiir  jiett^fev^ '^  ,:"'.^^''''^'::'''':^"      ™8.  (X'  Mii<iifir4^:  ;;^^ 

*  ■^    ■■.^uiol'i  ••-•  iiaJ  .  ■■^^■ 

GoTiMtii  I/*j,nI)ecerliber  4,  »864. 
iti  £)e«r  Sir:  In  cottformrtjf-  with  yovur  rfeqtidst I^end  yoil «  statemeiili 
of  the  YankeB  outraged  done  ^h  Cotile  Ticinityi  The  hoxis©  jrf  5^ 
Blaiichard  &  Br6th«r^  plantatioli  .Wias  comfiletfely  aabk«d,  ott  iheii'  sA^ 
Vatice,  having  made  their  encamptDent  6h  the  opposite  side  of  tfew 
bayou  for  ten  days,  giving  them  foil  time  for  the  daifaages  B*B<*iM»d» 
viz :  All  the  furniture  was  broken  to  pieces,  bedding  torn  up,  scatter- 
ing all  the  featheiP^  oveir  the  yard,  and  mattrasses  carried  away,  together 
with  the  beddi-ng  paraphernalia,  such  as  sheets,  blankets,  &c.     Car- 

gets  were  torn  froib  the  fltiors  add  carried  to  fclueir  damping  groudd, 
orse  coverings  being  made  out  of  them,  which  I  saw  myself,  upon 
their  backs,  on  a  visit  dver  there;  They  also  carried  away  all  the 
kitchen  utensils,  and  stole  all  the  meat,  molasses  and  sugar  contained 
in  the  smoke  house  and  store  rooms.  A  good  deal  of  furniture,  such  as 
chairs,  were  carried  on  board  their  boats,  leaving  the  house  completely 
riddled,  save  the  bedsteads  and  Tbrbkeh  looking  glasses.  They  even 
cut  into  ribbons  the  portraits  of  the  Colonel's  W6  ^i'vbi,  AUd  defafied 
his  own  and  that  of  his  mother.  My  own  library  ftSfild'  th^  of  Ob!.  B. 
wer&  stolen  aWay,  as  W6ll  as  all  iay  dothes,  leaving^  mb  only  the  siit 
which  covered  Siiy  bodj?  at  th«  time*  The  crookety  ware  was  iaklaB/ 
off:  in  a  wordi,  th^  whole  house  Was  ribbed  of  ife  coatelitSk 

On  their  rieitreat  they  bUraed  the  dlirelUng  hwkee,  gin,  stdbles*  atfd 
every  hbuje  in  the  quarter  yard*  leaving  nothing  but  a  feW  chidkeam 
houses.  They  put  themselves  to  the  trouble  ©f  going  into  the  diffierent 
parts  of  the  field  and  bUrned  ^me  weather  sbieds.  The  gin  and  the 
houses  around  contained  between  4€r0  «nd  450  bales  of  eottbn  in  aeedi, 
which  Mr.  Labat  is  demanding  taxds  on,  and  which  I  i-lafuBed  to  -paa^i 
8te  I  saw  a  l^w  published  iii  the  Democrat  ahd  oth^  pa{)ers«  pi^Eid  by 
Go'Bgr^^,  Febtttary  i7|:h,  I8681  reawtting  sudh  taxesy  axM  I  wduM 
Kkd  to  l^ara  from  you  whether  I  am  r^bnnUe  fol:  Iradb  im^hiaab.    £ 


^ 


i;a%r  jfp 


^^^erg,  (Vf^h9  ppet  tjie  B^pipioape^  911  their  cQttop,  titej  |iiiye  dopp  ^p 
ffViij^  The  estftte  hfB  w^  .m>neY  <p  ^/^y,  as  its  o^l^  rie venue  from  wluwi 
i^;ie^  90^14  te  gatkejced  wa^  4Qfltfo^.e4  b^  the  Jaukees  and  Ckmfe^er- 
1^3,  fifjQ  lattejr  burnt  25.0  |i?i9ke4  b?les.  Bv^fih  as  I  have  deseribed 
is  the  condition  of  the  plantation  a^  Jf^  resoijir^^^. 

"iT'l^eTre  is  now  .se^ining  of  what  was  once  a  beautiful  plantation 
the  naked  land  and  only  fifteeft  n^pea  xmt  of  ainety-«ine  whigh  were 
on  thepjLace  pri»r  to  the. last  raid  of  the  Yankees.  What  a  sad  picture 
I  have  portrayed  of  what  wa3  once  beautiful  to  behold,  but  now  its 
wretched  remains  are  heart-rending  to  thie  eye. 

I  have  given  a  lengthy  detail^  ike  destruction  complete  of  one  plan- 
tation. Of  my  neighbors'  losges,  I  shall  be  brief: — Mrs.  Dark  lost 
only  her  gin  house  and  three  cabins,  burnt  by  the  Yankees;  Judge 
Boy«e'6  place,  adjoiniug  Dr.  SttlliiRan's,  was  entirely  burnt,  only  a  few 
chicken  houses  standing ;  Mrs.  Manning's  gin  destroyed  alpo,  an4  Mrs. 
Jones' ;  Ben  Hunter's  gin,  and  ne^ly  all  his  cabins ;  Daniel  Roberta' 
^^  houfse  f  nd  two  qi|[>^ns,  at  the  ha^nds  Q^f  the  same  vandals. 

I  belieye  I  hav*  given  ^ou,  jjs  £w:  as  I  am  able,  a  narrative  of  the 
Yankee  outrages  in  my  vic^pity.  M«st  of  my  neighbors  suffered  mor^ 
or  less  if  negro  property :  Mr.  Bowlee  loait  twenty-three ;  Mrs.  Jones 
lost  all  but  ^even.or  eight,  out  of  forty  or  fifty  on  the  place.  The  prop- 
erty of  Mr.  SLobwts'  sons  and  buildings  contajned  thereoj^  all  destroyed. 
Hoping  ray  narrative  will  meet  the  demand  in  your  note,  I  vill  coii- 
clnde,giving,all  the  information  I  h^ve,  relative  to  the  vicinity  in  whic^i 
I  reside,  of  the  outrages  committed  by  th,e  Yankee  scoundrels.  I  how- 
^(sr  paust  inform  you  that  Gen.  A.J.  Sjpith  se^it  aparty  of  men  and  toojif 
tfee  piano  from  the  Blan  chard  house,  which  I  saw  landed  on  hoarded 
his  flag  boat,  t^e  Clara  Belle.  W^at  a  dog^e  is ;  the  English  language 
kardly  a^owi*  *pjl)thets  too  vile,  with  which  to  stigmatise  him.  Enough 
iqr  the  presan.^,  as  th,e  mention  of  sufth  a  man  makes  my  blood  boil. 
^odgEant be maymeetwith  his  deserts,;  f^t|awordinjg^,)5^^,|](ld|%d,^, 
nought  is  never  in  danger.  '"    ,,. 

./aflMiq  8B..'  n->  iu,...,.i  Fvv  ■      ■'■■  '    .  ,  .J.  N.  TATJLOJB. 

.^Tf/  ,  w    ;   Al9xai;i4ri^,  Lji. 


{No.  '7.'] 


,  ^  bavse  *ew4ed  ia  th<e  parish  of  Rap|4e^,  ^^te  of  tiouisiane,  upfvtrarda 
^f  itwqnty  yeaw.  }ij  residence  is  on  JRed  Kiverr  nine  miles  belojr 
Alexandria.  /Pusiness  brought  me  ,iflto  the  presence  of  Qen.  A.  J. 
Siiitfa,  at  his  hiead  quarters  qn  th|B  ste^m^bqat  O^ira  ]^U,  then  iyvfig 
At  ti»e  townof  Aie^apdri*.    ;Grw»-  4ffiith'^  4ivi»ipft  ,W  jwst  arrived 


te^rd  "sfeveral'of  )hu'  regimental  officets  express  their  determination  to 
burn  tlie  town  before  they  left ;— said  they  would^^toeeed  to' the  bitsi- 
Bess  at  once,  were  it  not  for  the  sick  and  wounded  in  the  hospitals. 
They  also  expressed  their  re;greta  fbrnot  having  burnt  the  town  of 
Natchitoches  when  they  passed  through  it.  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith  hpard 
this  remark — it  was  addressed  to  him.  •  '  "  ' ''    '^ 

.  THOS.  K.  SMITi[., 

'    Alexandria,  Nqv.  30tb;  ;1864. — Sworn  and  subscribed  befote  me^  ''"• 
;'•'     ^  ';:',   -.'Vf     .r'v  Thos.  C.  Manning,     ''"^ 

ei(  wou  ajU  ,.noa,v.  oi  '^'i^-A'spociate  Justice  Supreme  Court  of  La;  ' 

f' •  6pN, T-.^-  i*lANNlN'6(,^^'^? .V-nimuJ/.  .-i tC  : x-nibucj?,    -ijod  :ffi;i./ulv 

'  "'■  '    "  Cominissioner,  8tc.'j ' '"  .;>  •   •>■ -rr- j. 

Sir — I  remained  here  during  the  occupation  of  this  place  by  the  Fed- 
erals, from  the  15th  of  March  to  the  14th  of  May,  1864,  and  had  good 
Opportunities  of  being  an  eye  witness  to  their  outrages. 

So  soon  as  the  men  of  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith  landed  from  the  boats,  for 
full  twenty-four  hours  they  Were  left  free  to  do  as  they  pleased,  aiid 
well  did  they  employ  thdr  time.  Every  store  in  the  town  was  at  onbe 
forcibly  entered  and  robbed  of  every  article,  and. the  cases,  windows, 
iron  chests,  shelves,  etc.,  broken  to  a  thousand  fragments.  I  was  on 
fi"ont  street  dnd  saw  these  scenes :  officers  of  'all  grades  were  present, 
«ind  took  a  part  in  it,  and  did  their  share  of  the  plundering.  Private 
houses  were  entered  in  like  manner,  and  robbed  and  desecrated  in  the 
most  infamous  manneri  A  Captain  DeWest,  of  Gen.  Mower's  division, 
"walked  in  my  premises  with  two  privates,  and  acted  ■  well  their  part. 
The  Captain  stole  my  gun  and  a  small'  piece  of  carpeting;  hia  two 
men  all  the  eggs  they  could  find,  and  a  silver  watch; from  my  servant 
boy  George.  ,•:/>; 

Nearly  all  the  poultry  of  the  place  was  taken  by  the  marines,  and 
nearly  in  every  instance  an  ofl^cer  with  sword  belted  on  was  present, 
and  gave  the  orders.  1  saw  several, trips  made  with  loads  of  chickens, 
&c.,  on  board  the  Black  Hawk,  the  flag  ship  of  Admiral  Porter. 

In  less  than  Ji/leen  minutes  after  the  arrival  and  landing  at  the  tnharf, 
at  Rachal's  warehouse,  of  the  Black  Hawk,  the  entire  crew  marched  to 
the  warehouse,  broke  down  the  doors,  and  rolled  out  the  cotton  in  the 
streets,  and  at  once  marked  it  C.  S.  on  one  end,  and  U.  S.  N.  on  the 
t)therl !  Admiral  F.  Porter  I  saw-  present,  and  looking  on  with  appa- 
rent glee,  in  thus  getting  the  start  of  Banks. '  They  overhauled  every 
yard,  back  house,  barn,  etc.,  in  the  town,  in  search  of  cotton  and  sugar, 
and  without  ceremony  had  it  taken  aboard  their  gunboats  and  their  ten- 
ders. I  saw  a  commissioned  officer  of  the  navy  with  two  marines  in 
broad  daylight  walk  into  the  private"  residenee  of  Mrs;  Caleb  Taylor, 


8» 

OH  aeeond  itreet,  take  the  clock  down  from  the  mantel-piec«,  wrap  it  up 
ia  a  quilt  on  the  bed,  and  then  take  both  off  aboard  their  gunboat,  lying 
anchored  out  ia  the  river  opposite  the  street  where  the  pontoon  bridge 
is.  These  men  started  expressly  on  this  thieving  raid,  and  seemed  to 
be  perfectly  at  ease  in  the  business,  t  also  witnessed  a  regular  com- 
missioned naval  officer,  with  two  negro  marines,  near  the  Episcopal 
church,  while  the  town  was  in  flames,  go  to  a  pile  of  furniture,  &c., 
saved  from  the  flre»  and  pick  out  two  fine  paintings,  a  fine  musquito  bar, 
and  two  curtains^  afad  walk  off  with  them.  I  am  almost  certain  these 
articles  were  from  the  residence  of  the  late  J.  K.  Elgee,  as  I  recognized 
the  portrait  of  Bishop  Polk.  Three  infantry  Captains  and  a  detective 
entered  my  house  and  rudely  searched  it  for  three  hours,  and  took  off 
all  my  title  deeds,  a  copy  of  which  I  had  made  out — all  my  private  pa- 
pers, and  a  large  lot  of  stationery. 

As  regards  the  firing  of  the  town,  nothing  else  was  spoken  offer 
weeks  before  they  left.  It  was  the  work  of  design  and  premeditation. 
The  efforts  of  Gen.  Emory  alone  saved  what  is  left  of  it.  All  the 
guards  were  removed  at  sunrise"  the  morning  of  the  burning.  We  ex* 
pected  the  fire,  and  as  a  matter  of  safety  we  desired  Dr.  G.  W.  South- 
wick,  who  knew  Banks,  to  write  him  a  note  and  tell  him  of  the  fears 
of  the  people,  and  the  threats  of  the  soldiers.  I  enclose  you  his  reply. 
It  is  useless  to  tell  you  that  Gisn.  Banks  falsified  his  word,  and  nevet 
Sent  the  guard ;  nor  did  he  ever  order  Ool.  Goodwin  to  guard  the  town. 
After  waiting  several  hours  for  the  guard  to  come,  several  of  us  hunted 
for  Banks  and  found  he  had  left.  We  then  called  on  his  chief  of  ord- 
nance, Lt.  W.  S.  Beebe,  showed  him  the  note  of  Gen.  Banks,  on  which 
lie  volunteered  to  go  with  us  and  see  Col.  Goodwin,  whose  head  quarters 
were  just  above  Byan's  house.  We  found  him  in  his  tent,  told  him 
our  errand,  and  showed  him  the  note  of  Gen.  Banks.  He  was  perfectly 
surprised,  and  stated  it  was  news  to  him — and  with  an  oath  remarked, 
"'  it  is  just  like  old  Banks."  In  a  word,  his  written  and  official  promise 
■was  a  cheat  and  a  fraud,  designed  to  cover  up  his  real  design.  > 

^-  Respectfully,  &c.,  ^ 

■';^  •  E.  R.  BIOSSAT.:« 


:\ 


'   ■  ■  -      •  ■■       -  ►i 

-  -.•■.•  f.na  •'  *;i 


% 


,j|6 

TflE  BUENIN1&  OF  AMXAKBBJtA/ 

■■.i,  "".    .  ''    ■';•■'.  TAJfK^E  TEgTiMONY. 

,.350    , ''ii/firi.'iir  -<■  !jli:'  .     .         •  ■  4- 

TherBJchpiOttfl  (Epquirer  of  ik,^gust  11, 1864,  republished  from  ^q 
•St.Loiuia  "  Republican,"  a  Jong  e?:trat>t  from  the  letter  of  a  coiTes- 
ipofldent  who  w;rote  .from  Caijro,  Illinois,  giving  ^an  account  of  ihe 
burning  of,  Alexandria.    It  .appears  tp  be  from  an  eye-witness,  find 

iftUhough  inacouraiteio  eome;;of4t»-j[i!ataUp,iit  iCQrroborates.tberfor^o- 
j«g^report.  ,    ;;  .  ,  ; 

The  correspondent  says  J 
. ,  .WJien  the  gunboats  weare , all  over  thp.f%U8,ran]d  tlie  or^er  ,to  eFac- 
«ate  was , promulgated,  and  the  attfly  ptearly  all  on  the , march,  jgpme 
of  owr  soldiers,  both  white  and,  black,  {|.^  if  by(gfnera(l , understanding', 
^et  fite  to  the  city  .in  nearly  eveiy  pact,  i^lmostsim^lt.aneously.  Tbe 
flames  spread  r«ipidly,  increased  by  a  b^arj  wi;o^..  Most  qf  ^.l^e 
houses  were  0f  wooden  etruoture,  and-w^e/e  .soiofv  4evoured.by  the 
flames.  Alexandria > was. a  town  of  ;bjBtwi9ienfp.ujr  and  five  thousand 
■inhabitants .  All  thatt  part  ©f  tho  pity  florth  of  .the  railroad  was  swept 
from  the  face  of  the  earth  in  a  ;few  hour-e,  not  ^building  being  Jeit. 
About  nine4enthfl  of  the  town  was  consumed,  .coanprising  all  ,the 
l>,usiiiyeai8,ipart;and  all  the  finie  reeideaces,  l^ae,  [IqerJ^puse  Hotel,  the 
Court  House,  tetW  the  churchy  ^cept  tbeClathplic.^nnmb^er.Qf  livery 
fitabler^,  jand  the  entire  frpot  row  of  lai^e  ;aad  .splendid  business 
houses.  ,  ilbe  "  Ice  House  "  wias  a  l^rge  bri^  hotel,  which  must  have 
cost  one  liundired  thousand  dollars,  which  iwa^  owned  by  Judge 
Ariail,  ra  rmembQi*  af  the  late  Constitutional  Conventipn,  who  roled 
ibr  immediate  and  unconditional  ema^pipatip©  ,ip  J^ouiaiana  ;  whjph 
convention  also  isent  dp  legates  to  thp  BaltimoTje  Qonve^iiion.  While 
Judge  A.  was  thus  serving  theudmin^^tration,  the  Federal  torch  was 
applied  to  his  houses,  his  law  office,  his  private  and  law  library,  and 
all  his  household  goods  and  effects.  All  this  property,  be  it  remem- 
bered, has  been  protected  for  three  yeara  by  the  Confederates,  who 
all  the  time  knew  the  Judge's  Union  proclivities.  Hundreds  of  other 
instances  might  be  cited  of  Union  men  who  suffered  in  like  manner. 
Ex  unojudice  omne. 

,  The  scenes  attending  the  burning  of  the  city  are  appalling.  Women 
gathering  their  helpless  babes  in  their  arms,  rushing  frantically 
through  the  streets  with  screams  and  cries  that  would  have  melted 
the  hardest  hearts|to'tears.  Little  boys  and  girls  were  running  hither 
and  thither  crying  for  their  mothers  and  fathers  ;  old  men  leaning 
on  a  staff  for  support  to  their  trembling  limbs,  were  hurrying  away 
from  the  suffocating  heat  of  their  burning  dwellings  and  homes.  The 
fair  and  beautiful  daughters  of  th«  South,  whose  fathers  aad  brothers 


#■ 


9» 

ynm  moB^army  OT  ib©  other  ;  tbe  frait  and  h^lplees  wirte  and 
ehiidren  of  absen*  hufibaWds  ftnd  fathers  were,  almost  in  the  twink- 
ling-of  aa  eye,  drireni  from  their  burning  homes  into  ttie  streets^ 
k^ving^  everything  behind-  but  tbe  clothes  they  then  wore.  Owing- 
to  the^  simtiltaneous  burning  in  every  part  of  tbe  city,  the  people 
found  no  Security  in  the  atrectfi,  where  th6  heat  was  so  intense  asr 
almost td  create  suffocation.  Everybody  ruebed  to  the  river's  edg^„ 
bein^  protected  thete  frcn>  the  heat  by  the  high  bank  of  the  river. 
Th6  steamboats  lying  at  tbe  lauding  were  subjected  to  great  annoy- 
ance^ the  heat  be**^  so  great  that  the  decks  had  to  be  flooded  with 
wa^i^E  to  prevent  the-  boats  from  takwtg  fir^.  Athong  those  who  thus 
crowded  the  rfcv*!*  bamk  were  the  wires,  daughfetS  and  children, 
heliplefid  and  now  all  homeh^,  of  ^e  Union  men  who  had  joined  the 
Federal  army  since  the  occw|yatitir>  of  Alexandria.  Their  husbands 
bad  Already  be«n  marched  off  in  tb«  6r>iit  towards  Simmsport,  leav- 
ing their  families  in  their  old  homes,  but  to  the  tender  mercies  of  tile' 
Ckmfederatfes.  ,    .    , 

The  Federal  tordi  bad  n<ytr  4eetroyed  their  dwellings,  tbeit  house - 
bold  goods  and  apparel,  th«  last  moreed  tf  provisions,  And  left  them 
starving  and  destitute.  As  might  be  expected,  they  desired  to  go  alon?^ 
witih  the  Federal  army,  where  tbeit  husbands  had  gone.  Thev  applied 
to  Gen.  Bank«  with  tears  and  entreaties  to  be  allowed  fo  go  aboard  the 
traniports.  Th«y  Were  refased.  They  be<a*»e  frtibHc  With  excitement 
and  rage.  Their  screams  arid  pitsdus  cries  W6re  heart-rending.  With 
tears  streaming  down  their  cheeks,  women  aild  children  begged  and 
impbrvd  the  boats  to  taks  them  on  board.  Tbe  officers  of  the  boats 
were  desirqns  of  doing  so,  b«t  there  was  the  peremptoty  order  from  Cen. 
Bat&8,  not  to  allow  any  white  cititsens  to  go  en  board.  A  rush  wonM 
b«V8  been  inade  Txpon  the  boats,  but  there  stood  the^uard  with  fixed 
bayonet,  and  none  conld  mowlt  the  stage  plank,  except  they  bore  the 
special  penait  of  the  Ootoiaandirig  General.  OonM  anything  b&  more 
iuhnilMn  and  erbel  t  But  tbi«  is  not  all.  General  Banks  found  rooni 
OH  his  transports  for  six  Or  8«fv»tt  thouAand  aegroe*,  that  had  been  gath- 
ered in  frota  the  surrounding  country. 

Cotton,  tkat  had  beftn  loaded  on  t^An^orts  to  be  shipped  through  the ,' 
Quartermaster  to  New  CWleans,  ttttde*  Batiks'  e*der,  -vtas  thrown  over- 
board to  make  room  for  negroes.  Bert  flo  r6om  cwttld  be  fbuttd  fbr  wbite 
woilten  aod  children,  wbo«e  husbands  and  brothers  were  in  the  Federal 
anay,  and  wh<)se  houses  and  all  had  been  burhed  by  the  Federal  toreh.^ 
I  ehailenge  tbe  reoorcfe  of  all  wa»6  fot  acts  ^  such  perfidy  and  cruelty. 

"Bttt  there  is  stiU  another  chaptief  in  this  perfidious  military  and  polit'-'| 
ical  campaign.  Banks,  on  arriving  at  Alexandria,  told  the  people  thai 
bis  occupation  of  the  coimtry  \v«is  pferamnetft.  That  he  intended  td, 
protect  all  those  Ttb6  «>oUld  comsfbrw^rd  and  take  tbe  oath  6/ alls-' 
giaiKte;  while  those  who  "would  -ow  werS  tllreatehed  with  batiishmeflt 
and  conftscatioa  of  pwpsrty.  Aft  «4«ctk*  w*t»  bsid,  and  diflegates  wete 
I  Bsttt  tb  the  'OMistitailonat  CMftvMtiott  tiiM  itt  6<»Ml<^  tti  lHew  Orleans. 


A  recruiting  officer  was  appointed,  .^nd  ,over  a  thotttand  Trbite  mm  were 
mustered  into  the  United  States  Service,  (^ite  a  number  of  perma- 
nent citizens  of  Alexandria  took  the  oath,  and  were  promised  protec- 
tion. Their  houses  and  other  property  have  now  all  been  reduced  to 
ashes,  and  they  turned  out  into  the  world  with  nothing — absolutely 
nothing — save  the  amnesty  oath!  They  could  not  now  go  to  the  Confedrr 
erates  and  apply  for  charity.  They,  too,  applied  to  General  Banks  to; 
be  allowed  to  go  aboard  the  transports  and  go  to  New  Orleans.  They 
were  refused  in  every  instance !  Among  those  who  applied  was  a  Mri' 
Parker,  a  lawyer  of  feeble  health,  who  had  been  quite  prominent  makr> 
ing  speeches  since  the  Union  occupation,  in  favor  of  emancipationy 
unconditional  Union,  and  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion.  Permission' 
to  go  on  a  transport  was  refused  him.  He  could 'not  stay,  and  heuce,. 
feeble  as  he  was,  he  went  on  afoot  with  the  army.  Among  the  promi-i 
neut  citizens  who  took  the  oath  wa^  Judge  John  K..  Elgee,  of .  Alexti 
andria.  •        ,      '  ;>!.,,._:■,;  :•'   •   ''.'      '\  ■:'  ■':^  >>;"ri 

Before  the  return  of  the  army  from  Grand  Ecore,  Judge  Blged  wenr 
to  New  Orleans,  leaving  his  family  behind  expecting  to  retuiiii     He 
was  not  able  to  do  so  before  the  evacuation  of  Alexandria.    Judge  Bl-i 
gee  is  one  of  the  most  accomplished   and  able  men  of  the  South.    A; 
lawyer  by  profession,  he  occupied  a  prominent  position,  both  politically- 
and  social,  and  had  immense  influence.     So  great  stress  was  placed  up- 
on his  taking  the  oath,  that  one  of  our  bands  serenaded  him  athis  resi-^ 
dence,  and  Gen.  Grover  and  Gen.  Banks  honored  him  in  every  possi-. 
ble  way.    During  my  stay  in  Alexandria,  I  ha4  occasion  to  call  upon  the 
Judge  at  his  residence,  and  at  his  office,  (which  were  both  in  thesame 
building,)   on  business.    His  law  and  literary  library,  occupied  threo 
large  rooms — being  as  fine  a  collection  of  books  as  I  ever  saw.    His 
residence  was  richly  and  tastefully  furnished;  a  single  painting  costi 
twelve  hundred  dollars.    In  his  absence,  the  Government  he  had  swomi 
to  support,  and  which  had  promised  him  protection,   allowed  its  solr . 
diers  to  apply  the  torch  to  his  dwelling,  and  turn  his  family  into  thai 
streets.     His  fine   residence,   with  all  its  costly  furniture, :  his  books,« 
papers,  and  his  fine  paintings,  were  burned  up.     It  may  be  that  many 
of  the  last  named  articles  will  yet  find  their  way  to  the  North,,  having 
been  rescued  from  the  flames  by  pilferers  and  thieves;  for  where  arsoii 
is  resorted  to,  it  is  generally  to  cover  theft.  .. 
;  J.  Madison  Wells,  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Louisiana,  elected 
with  Hahn,  by  General  Black's  orders,  was  not  spared.    He  had  been  a 
Union  man  from  the  beginmng.    He  had  a-  splendid  residence  in  Alex- " 
andria,  well  and  richly  furnished,  at  which  his  own  and  his  son's  fami- 
ly resided.    His  son  was  absent  in  New  Orleans,  attending  the  Consti- 
tutional  Convention,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  and  in  which  he  voted 
for  abolition   and  all  the  ultra  measures.    But  that  did  not  secure  hi& , 
family  the  protection  of  the  Government.    All  was  burned.    Thou- 
sands of  people   men  women  and  children,  were,  in  a  few  short  hour8»ii 
di^y^nfrotn  €omfortiible  homes^into  th*  stiweU    Their  shelter,  theii^ 


89 

provlsioEB,  their  beds,  were  all  consumed.  In  their  extremity,  which 
our  own  culpability  had  brought  about,  the  Commanding  General 
turned  his  back  upon  them.  The  General,  perhaps,  did  not  laugh  at, 
their  calamity,  nor  mock  when  their  fear  came,  but  doubtless  regarded 
it  as  the  dawn  of  a  political  millenium.  The  march  of  the  army  from 
Alexandria  to  Fort  De  Russy  was  lighted  up  with  the  flnmes  of  burn- 
ing dwellings.  Thus  has  General  Banks  become  the  "Liberator  of 
Louisiana." 

When  the  army  arrived  at  Simmsport  the  fceliii,^-  against  Banks 
was  perfectly  nncontrollable.  He  was  absolutely  nfruid  to  appear 
in  the  midst  of  the  men,  lest  he  miglit  be  assassinated..  He  took 
refuge  in  an  iron-clad  gunboat.  As  the  boat  lay  in  tlic  Atchafalaya 
river,  the  soldiers  on  the  banks  would  cry  out  aloud  for  Banks  to 
put  his  head  above  the  decks,  declaring,  with  curses,  tliatiliey  would 
put  a  ball  through  it.  He  k(  pt  his  bead  inside.  When  (ilen<Tal 
Canby  arrived,  he  made  a  speech  to  the  men,  and  ti)ld  them  that  no 
more  fatal  eX[ieditions  should  be  gotten  up.  A  Ion;,':  cry  arose  from 
the  men  :  "  \Ve  want  to  sec  Gen.  Banks  punislied  ;  we  want  to  see 
liini  hung  ;"  and  many  such  expressions.  (Jen.  Canby  said  that  he 
had  reported  Banks  to  the  authorities  at  AVashington,  and  had  iio 
doubt  he  would  be  dealt  with  a'5  his  conduct  deserved.  The  soldicrH 
were  furious,,  and  would  have  mobbed  Banks,  ft  he  had  made  his 
:i))pe!Uiin(;e.  ^fany  declared  that  they  would  do  no  more  service 
until  Banks  was  punished.  Gen.  Canby  told  them  that  iiereaftev 
they  were  under  his  comTnand,  and  appealed  to  the  men  to  n^turn  to 
duty  and  obey  all  his  orders.  Thus  ended  the  lied  Biveri-xpedition^ 
—  a  fine  sequel  to  a  scheme  conceived  in  politics  and  brought  forth  ' 
in  iniquity. 


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